Regina city hall fences to be removed

The fences around Regina’s city hall courtyard will be removed, according to city manager Niki Anderson.

The fencing has stood since police cleared out a homeless encampment at the end of July.

“The green spaces on the City Hall Courtyard are safe and clean,” Anderson said in a news release.

The city said the fences remained in place due to worries about potential "biohazard" left behind by the encampment's residents.

However, Anderson later stated that was not the case and the fence would remain up while the courtyard's grass recovered.

“The fences have allowed the grass to recover, and have significantly reduced the future cost of landscape repair.”

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Moving forward, the city says it will enforce its Park and Open Space Bylaw in the city hall courtyard.

The bylaw prohibits the establishment of a camp – like the encampment that occupied the courtyard for 42 days earlier this year.

“As with any bylaw, the city’s goal is voluntary compliance,” Anderson said.

The fences around the courtyard will be taken down around 8 a.m. Thursday morning, according to the city.