GUELPH – The University of Guelph, Guelph Police Service, City of Guelph and Guelph General Hospital are forming a new working group following large unsanctioned gatherings during this year’s Homecoming.
Administrative leaders from the four organizations met Tuesday to review the community impacts and discuss how their approach should evolve.
As a result, the organizations say in a press release they will “jointly establish a Homecoming working group dedicated to mitigating risks and reducing the impacts associated with large unsanctioned gatherings.”
The organizations say they already undertake “extensive annual planning for a safe Homecoming,” including prevention, education, operations, coordinated communications and frontline resources.
But they say this year demonstrated that the environment surrounding unsanctioned gatherings has changed.
According to the release, “social media’s speed and reach, along with individuals who encourage disorder or cause damage, can quickly increase an event’s scale, complexity and risk; disrupt nearby residents and businesses; and create safety concerns for participants, the community and first responders.”
The new working group will build on existing Homecoming planning and bring together expertise from each organization.
The group says it will look at ways to “further strengthen prevention, operations, communications, and response strategies,” while also exploring additional tools, authorities, and resources to support community safety.
The organizations will also look for opportunities to hold offenders accountable.
Specific measures will be announced following further analysis, with the organizations saying they will continue to meet regularly to oversee the work, consider recommendations and monitor progress.
In the release, the organizations emphasize that “unsanctioned gatherings are complex and cannot be addressed by one organization or measure alone.”
They say they are “collectively resolved to ensure that future homecomings remain safe for our students, staff, including first responders, and our City.”
