UPDATE 1:35 p.m.

Unsanitary living conditions, criminal activity and concerns about outside forces creating a disruption are behind the more forceful approach to this year’s spring cleaning at Kelowna's tent city, bylaw officials say.

Early Wednesday morning, dozens of bylaw and police officers descended on the outdoor living site in Kelowna’s north end with the intent of completing a weeklong “site remediation.”

“As it's been in the past, we are trying to ensure that the ground is cleared … and the site is reset in the interest of ensuring that it can be best used by the users themselves,” Kevin Mead, City of Kelowna bylaw manager, said during a press conference that took place as the clean up was underway.

To get this work done, residents were told to pack up and move across the Rail Trail. Unlike previous clean-ups, Wednesday's was done without prior notice to residents and tumult ensued. There was shouting, protestations, one woman’s dogs were seemingly taken away, three were arrested and many more expressed anger and frustration at the chaos.

Cpl. Michael Gauthier said in an emailed statement that there have been several arrests either at or around the outdoor sheltering site, some related and some unrelated to the City of Kelowna initiative.

“Two arrests related to the COK initiative include one female who was arrested for assaulting a Bylaw Officer and one male who was arrested for Uttering Threats,” Gauthier said.

For the most part, however, Mead said those who were upset about the process were in the minority and everyone will benefit from the effort to clear excess material and garbage from the site and tighten the boundaries.

In addition to clean-up, things like improvised weapons, replica firearms, and actual firearms, will be confiscated, Mead said. There will also be some site safety measures implemented during the process as well.

How long will fencing remain?

Fencing and 24/7 security crews will fall into place as the work is completed, and the public has been barred from travelling along the Rail Trail in the area of the encampment.

The only lingering question is how long it will stay that way, with Mead implying an assessment will be made in the days or months ahead. Crime, he said, has become increasingly noticeable within the encampment, as has influence from outside forces.

“We have heard from those staying at the site and also from those who have refused to stay at the site from across the city that they have not felt safe at times due to external criminal activity and other on-site dynamics, including violence between site users that take place when security or enforcement personnel or not present,” he said.

The fencing around the encampment is ultimately for safety sake, Mead said.

“We have done this to demonstrate to those using the site that we are continuing to take their own personal security and safety seriously,” he said.

While he didn’t specifically say as much, it will also keep out protestors, who have been a more regular feature at the site, some of whom arrived unannounced at the press conference and were kept outside by organizers.

Among them was Tony Baxter, with the advocacy group Unhoused Solidarity Collective Okanagan.

He was witness to the melee that ensued Wednesday morning when tent city was cleared and he had some thoughts on city failures.

Notably, he said if the city wanted to treat people with dignity, as emphasized by Mead, they could have given notice of their actions.

“There was no notice,” Baxter said.

He also took issue with the notion that it was people within tent city who were causing issues amongst themselves.

“What people are afraid of is bylaw and police," he said.

Baxter didn’t deny that there may be an element of criminality causing concern among the residents of the outdoor living space.

“There are people in any given community who are afraid of other people in a community‚ this is part of being a human,” he said.

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UPDATE 10:35 a.m.

City of Kelowna Bylaw Services manager Kevin Mead says fences are being put up around the outdoor sheltering site along the rail trail to protect users from criminal elements who are taking advantage of the vulnerable.

He says it will also be patrolled by security 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

He also says a section of the rail trail will be closed to the public to ensure the safety and dignity of those who live on the site.

Crews moved in to begin spring maintenance this morning.

Mead said that as the collaborative group that works with the residents of the tent city adapts to changing conditions, they are employing additional measures to ensure the safety of everyone, including his staff and residents.

He also acknowledged that the fencing should help stem the flow of stolen property that ends up in tent city.

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UPDATE 9:50 a.m.

A large contingent of police and bylaw officers have gathered at Kelowna’s tent city along the rail trail.

Residents of the encampment have been told that fences are being erected around the homeless camp that will prevent non-residents from attending. A stamp system will be used to keep non residents out of the encampment.

While some tents were removed earlier this morning, there is no dismantling taking place at this time.

The City of Kelowna is expected to announced details of the changes at a news conference at 10 a.m.

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ORIGINAL 9:15 a.m.

Kelowna is planning what they've called an "operational safety upgrade" at one of its outdoor sheltering sites but some are concerned that it's simply an eviction.

Tony Baxter, with the advocacy group Unhoused Solidarity Collective Okanagan, said police and bylaw officers were at the site in large numbers Wednesday morning.

"They're tearing down people's tents, and they have the perimeter taped off and they're not letting anybody out," Baxter said.

This assessment has not been verified.

More should be known later this morning. The City of Kelowna is hosting a "briefing session for information on safety and security improvements taking place at the City’s designated outdoor sheltering location this spring."