University contribution follows large off-campus gathering
The University of Guelph has announced it will provide the City of Guelph with $100,000 to offset costs associated with unsanctioned off-campus gatherings during homecoming on Sept. 26. The contribution follows a day that brought more than 13,000 people to gatherings near the university, including a large crowd in the area of Chancellor's Way and Stone Road Mall.
The payment is intended to address the municipal expenses created by the gathering, rather than represent a general estimate of all impacts connected with homecoming. Police reported that their response cost approximately $91,000, meaning the university's announced contribution is about $9,000 above that estimate. The available information does not specify how any remaining funds will be allocated by the city.
“It was probably the worst amount of issues that we've ever experienced in the history of homecoming parties,” Mayor Cam Guthrie said at the time.
The scale of the response was reflected in the number of calls received by Guelph police. A police report said officers received approximately 550 calls on Sept. 26, with about 250 directly connected to the unsanctioned gathering. Police deployed 88 police and civilian members as crowds gathered in and around the area near the university.
Police report assaults, mischief and liquor offences
The same report identified 11 criminal occurrences during homecoming. They included seven assaults, one occurrence involving an offensive weapon, one disturb-the-peace occurrence and two mischief occurrences. Police also made six arrests that day and issued roughly 70 provincial offence notices, mainly for open liquor.
- Approximately 550 calls were received by police.
- About 250 calls were directly related to the unsanctioned gathering.
- Police estimated their response cost at $91,000.
- More than 13,000 people attended the gatherings.
Police later announced that 12 additional people had been charged in connection with the September party. The accused are between 17 and 21 years old. Each faces charges of assault with a weapon, causing a disturbance and two counts of mischief. One man also faces an additional charge of assaulting a police officer with a weapon.
Working group formed after September events
The homecoming gatherings prompted the police service, the University of Guelph and the local hospital to establish a “homecoming working group.” The group is intended to support community safety and accountability following the events. The university's financial contribution is the latest response described in connection with the gathering, while police investigations and charges continue.
The reported costs and crowd size have placed the long-running homecoming issue back in focus for the city, university and surrounding neighbourhoods. Residents near Chancellor's Way and Stone Road Mall experienced the effects of a large, unsanctioned event, while the city faced the expense of coordinating a substantial police response. The university's $100,000 commitment provides municipal support for those costs, but the sources do not indicate whether it changes future homecoming plans or the approach to off-campus gatherings.
| Reported measure | Amount or figure |
|---|---|
| Attendance | More than 13,000 |
| Police response cost | About $91,000 |
| University contribution | $100,000 |
| Police and civilian members deployed | 88 |
