Brockville Walmart working with police to stop lot campers

Management at Brockville’s Walmart store will no longer allow returning vacationers to camp on the site in their recreational vehicles, police Chief Scott Fraser said Wednesday.

City police and management at Walmart are working together to deal with concerns over returning travellers who flout social distancing practices, the chief added.

The move follows local frustration at reports of returning vacationers who enter the store to shop, in defiance of a federal directive to self-isolate to slow the spread of COVID -19.

The new decision doesn’t mean police will be posted at the northend store’s parking lot, added the chief.

“Walmart’s managing their own property and if they need our assistance they’ll call us,” Fraser said.

Greg Payne, manager of the store, was unavailable for comment.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Walmart staff had restricted access to the store to only one of the two entrances, through a narrow passage marked by fences.

In a Facebook post late Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Jason Baker noted that the city “asked power centre properties to give us permission to allow police on to their properties to control the issue.

“Got almost immediate approval from Superstore. Walmart needed corporate approval. Still not yet received,” the mayor added.

Baker indicated at the time he had directed city management “to send our police to the site anyway even without the permission in place.”

On Wednesday, Baker said he was happy to see Walmart working closely with local authorities.

“We knew it was coming and it was just a matter of time,” the mayor said. “The local guys at Walmart have been very good to work with so we’re glad to know it’s working further.”

On Monday, Baker drafted a note to the travellers, translated into French by Coun. Nathalie Lavergne, that welcomed them to Brockville and reminded them of the advice to go into isolation for two weeks. The note offered help with getting supplies.

City manager Janette Loveys also met with Walmart management Monday, and Elizabethtown-Kitley Mayor Brant Burrow sat in on that meeting.

“We were met with a warm reception,” Burrow said Tuesday. “They are just as concerned as the community and the community leaders.”

Burrow noted that welcoming recreational vehicles overnight on store lots is a “corporate pillar” of Walmart and the Brockville store couldn’t change that policy without the approval of the corporate office.

Baker said Walmart’s welcoming policy toward travellers is one that should be encouraged in any other time, but is potentially dangerous at the moment. Fraser said Walmart’s later move to forbid campers on the lot is an extraordinary measure taken because of the pandemic.

The chief acknowledged travellers need to rest if they are too tired to drive, and noted there are other options for them to stop for the night.

One such option is the Happy Green Acres campsite in Mallorytown, which posted on Facebook that it is opening early for returning snowbirds.

“We are now open to accommodate you if you are looking to self-isolate in your own trailer/RV. Please contact us for more information,” the message reads.

People are invited to call or text the site at 343-264-2468.