A group of campers evicted from Regina Park tent city Thursday night moved down the road a few blocks to Rudd Park.
Park Users and area residents report as many as 20 tents at the park overnight -- but that number was down to about a dozen Friday morning.
Mayor Richard Atwell says it's not surprising the campers moved to another nearby park, and assures police will be working to enforce the bylaw restricting camping to between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m.:
" So what will happen in the morning, come 9:00 police will attend and they will ask campers to pack up their belongings, and to essentially act as anything else would be in the park or visiting the park, that they're not allowed to have shelters erected or have any other permanent structures there. And that's the case with 102 of Saanich's parks across our municipality."
Police officers visited Rudd Park at 8:45 am to remind campers of the bylaw.
Because Rudd Park is well used by the public many area residents are expressing concern over safety of children and pets with the possibility of drug use, needles and garbage that may be left in the park.
Meantime former residents of Regina Park Tent City and their supporters will stage a protest rally at Rudd Park at 5 pm Friday.
The event will see participants march to Saanich Municipal Hall to speak out against what they call provincially legislated poverty.
Displaced campers say there are plans to move from park to park throughout Saanich to expose, quote, "deeply entrenched anti-homeless and anti-Indigenous hate in the region."
Those evicted from Regina Park also say they experienced verbal and physical "vigilante attacks" against them after they moved to Rudd Park, and say someone shot fireworks at them about 8:30 Thursday night. Saanich police are investigating.