The cost of cleaning up and policing the Occupy Toronto protest could exceed $25,000 with the burden falling on taxpayers, Toronto officials said Thursday.
St. James Park was the site of a collection of tents and yurts that had been growing since protesters rallied in the downtown park on Oct. 15.
But the encampment was cleared on Wednesday during a day-long operation by Toronto police and bylaw officers, who packed up and removed property as protesters danced and demonstrated nearby.
The eviction came after Ontario Superior Court Justice David Brown ruled in favour Monday of the City of Toronto's efforts to remove protesters from the site.
The heavy foot traffic, tents, and portable toilets caused considerable damage to the park.
"There is going to be a fair amount of sodding and seeding that has to be done," said Coun. Norm Kelly.
Repairs to the park alone are estimated to cost about $25,000. However, that does not include the extra policing needed both during the occupation and the eviction from the park earlier this week.
But Toronto Police chief Bill Blair defended the costs of the added police presence.
"There were costs to have those resources there, but that is an investment in the outcome and I think the return on that investment is apparent today," Blair told reporters.
The evacuation was relatively quiet compared with the violence and destruction that marred the G20 demonstrations 18 months ago.
Only eleven protesters were arrested for trying to slow down or block the eviction process. Ten protesters were charged with trespassing and one was released without charges, police confirmed.
Meanwhile, members of the Toronto movement rallied outside city hall Thursday afternoon vowing to continue demonstrating.
Members of the movement gathered with hundreds of Ontario Federation of Labour members in the financial district shortly after noon before turning their sights on Nathan Phillips Square and City Hall.
The crowd was joined by about 100 members of the Occupy movements in Ottawa, London and Kingston.
Union members, who are in Toronto taking part in an OFL convention, have joined with Occupy protesters on several occasions in recent days.
"This is only starting. You cannot evict an idea and so you may take down the tents but it makes no difference. The idea has captured the imagination of people around the world," Sid Ryan CUPE president.
Ryan also hinted that the union might help defray some of the costs of the clean up.
"Tell (Toronto mayor) Rob Ford to send me a bill and we will talk about it," Ryan told reporters.
