Threat of 'biohazard' on City Hall lawn not confirmed, city says

The City of Regina says it cannot confirm the presence of biohazards in the city hall courtyard.

Regina Mayor Sandra Masters used the presence of a biohazard as a justification for fencing off the site of a former homeless encampment, saying the city would have to pay to replace the lawn before people were allowed back on it.

“An assessment of the risks present in the green spaces on the Courtyard has not been done, so the presence of possible biohazards present cannot be confirmed,” the statement read.

“The fencing is in place as a precaution.”

The city went on to say that the assessment and any restorative work will not be prioritized over other city projects already scheduled for the fall season.

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The cost of remediation of the green space was estimated at $60,000.

According to the city, an assessment was completed at Regina’s Core Community Park back in 2021.

The park was the site of Camp Hope – which hosted around 100 residents for more than a month that fall.

“An assessment took place in that location immediately after the camp was decommissioned. Appropriate measures to restore the space for public use, based on the assessment completed at the time, were then completed,” the statement read.

The city did not specify what measures were taken.