While there were no serious mishaps, Western University homecoming celebrations were anything but tame.
An estimated 20,000 purple-clad revellers flooded the streets around the university campus Saturday during unsanctioned festivities that spilled out of student housing. Broughdale Avenue, a dead-end north London street, infamous for student partying, had metal fences erected on it to provide first responders with a clear path should an emergency situation arise. During the thick of the celebrations, partiers were packed shoulder to shoulder.
London police opted to temporarily shut down Broughdale to vehicular traffic around 10:30 a.m. As the day wore on and the celebrations intensified, the decision was made around 3 p.m. to also close Richmond Street between Windermere Road and Cheapside Street.
"We closed the streets in relation to public safety," said Constable Sandasha Bough. "The roadways were closed to all vehicle traffic."
Richmond was reopened shortly before 7:30 p.m. after officers successfully dispersed the large crowds that had filled the street.
Bough said the large gatherings seen Saturday were reminiscent of pre-pandemic homecoming festivities near the campus. However, officers were not called to any major incidents.
As of 9 p.m., paramedics had taken more than a dozen people from the parties to hospital.
"I can confirm that Middlesex London Paramedic Service provided treatment and transport for 13 people. One person would be considered a “serious transport” and the rest were minor injuries or medical issues," said Miranda Bothwell, the paramedic service's public education coordinator.
In preparation of the anticipated crowds, London police added additional officers to the area and brought in reinforcements from York Region and Hamilton. Police have not yet indicated how many tickets for bylaw infractions or criminal code violations were issued throughout the day. It is expected those numbers will be released publicly early next week.
Last year's homecoming celebrations saw 34 provincial offence notices handed out for violations of the Liquor Licence Act and dozens of fines issued for parking violations, noise, public nuisance party attendance, use of a closed street, and public urination. Three people were arrested for being intoxicated in a public place and three people were fined under the public nuisance bylaw for being on roofs. There were no criminal code charges laid.