City council passed a bylaw on Monday to curb camping in municipally owned parks, causing a packed gallery to hiss and yell angrily.

People yelled "Shame!" or "Thanks for the circus!"

"We'll have to have a riot in Peterborough!" one other person shouted.

City councillors heard nothing but objections from 18 citizens over proposed rules that would chase away homeless encampments - which have become established in the city since the Warming Room shelter closed on July 1.

Although the biggest tent encampment is in Victoria Park - which is owned by Peterborough County - city councillors passed their bylaw on Monday to apply to city-owned parks.

Municipal spaces such as Riverside Park and Nicholls Oval have had small encampments this summer.

The city's bylaw changed a bit on Monday evening: Coun. Kim Zippel asked that people be restricted from being in parks between the hours of 2 and 5 a.m. (the draft bylaw would have not allowed people in parks after 11 p.m.)

Coun. Andrew Beamer wanted to remove a provision in the bylaw that would allow the city CAO to permit tent encampments if the number of homeless in the city exceeds the number of shelter beds - but that didn't pass.

"We need to be very clear in our bylaw: no tents, period," Beamer said.

Beamer also told councillors that the city is spending $2,800 a day just on city police patrols for tent city - but it was difficult to hear him for all the jeers in the public gallery.

In an angry outburst, Donnie Robinson said he's 35 and has needed safe housing since the age of 16.

"I got kneed in the nuts today because I'm homeless! Is it right that I have to live in danger every damn day?" he shouted at council.

Mayor Diane Therrien, who was chairing the meeting, did not ask for order in the gallery - and didn't respond to Beamer in debate.

City solicitor David Potts was asked by Beamer what the process would be to remove the homeless encampments in parks.

"Ideally, compliance will be achieved when council has made a decision," he said, and if not, there will be "next steps" taken in consultation with Peterborough County.

Peterborough County council is meeting Wednesday morning to discuss adopting a new bylaw that would curb camping in Victoria Park.

None of the citizens present said anything at all in favour of the bylaw: some said it criminalizes the poor and goes too far restricting people from using parks.

Rachelle Sauve asked councillors to defer passing the bylaws for the public to have a "reasonable" amount of time to consider this because there wasn't enough time for public consultation.

Former city councillor Margeree Edwards said the city owns a "perfect place" for homeless people to live: Beavermead Campground, where they could have access to a washroom and showers.

Another former city councillor, Lynn Hopkins, said the draft bylaw ought to be torn up.

"I am thoroughly disgusted with this report and can't believe it's been written by workers of the city," she said.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

joelle.kovach

@peterboroughdaily.com