With summer just around the corner, it's business as usual for Victoria in dealing with camping in parks.
"We always expect an increase [in camping] as the temperatures rise and we tend to see some summer backpackers -- and some are those that don't have homes," said Katie Josephson, city director of communications.
"We tend to see an increase every year, but we have no indication that this year is going to be much different."
The city has been wrestling with how to best deal with camping in parks since an October 2008 B.C. Supreme Court decision that allows the homeless to set up temporary shelters in Victoria green spaces.
The city both appealed the ruling and brought in a new bylaw that allows temporary shelters to be erected -- but only between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m.
However, a court appeal of that bylaw upheld the right of homeless to erect temporary shelter in parks.
While not much has changed, city enforcement officers will begin weekend patrols this year, enforcing camping bylaws as well as other city bylaws, Josephson said.
Historically, bylaw enforcement has been limited to weekdays. That was extended to include weekends last fall, so this summer will bring about the first regular weekend bylaw patrols.
Josephson said it's difficult to get an accurate count of how many people are camping in parks, as most tents are gone by 7 a.m.
Fewer than three or four tickets are handed out every month, she said.
The city also has begun regular clearing of some vegetation in some parks to make it more difficult for people to hide encampments.
"We tend to find in Beacon Hill Park, because it's a larger park with more vegetation than some of the other parks, that campers will try to go undetected or not be bothered by the rest of park users, so they go further into the vegetation," she said.
"So it's important that we can see people in there. So we're always making sure we've removed anything that should be removed to maintain sight lines," Josephson said.
Tim Van Alstine, chairman of the James Bay Neighbourhood Association, said there's always a concern about camping in parks -- especially given costs of cleanups.
The city has estimated the cost of cleaning up after campers at $1.3 million a year.
"I think the city does a fairly good job of managing it," he said of the camping.
Meanwhile, about $250,000 worth of improvements to the boulevard area on Pandora Avenue near Quadra Street are slated to begin the last week of this month.
Planned changes include a plaza to be built in front of the Alix Goolden Performance Hall, where daytime concerts could be held, improved lighting and a pathway meandering through the existing green space.
It's hoped that by having less grass, more hard-surface walkway and no benches, the area will be less attractive as a place to hang out.
