Police confirm body of a man found Wednesday in Guelph park

Police say the body of a man was found Wednesday near a Guelph park.

An anonymous caller reported a possible deceased person on the outskirts of Royal City Park around 4:10 p.m.

“Officers arrived a short time later and did find human remains at a plaza,” said Scott Tracey, media relations coordinator for the Guelph Police Service.

Several police cruisers could be seen at a plaza on Wellington Street West and Gordon Street, which backs onto Royal City Park. Police tape also blocked off parts of a parking lot.

The body was found between a “shed-type garage and some bushes,” according to police, which made it harder to find.

Police said it’s unclear how long the body had been there.

"It wasn’t skeletal remains, so it wasn’t that they’ve been there for months," Tracey said. “But in terms of the exact timeframe, I can’t comment on that at this time.”

They also confirmed that the man has been identified and his family has been notified.

At this point, police said they don’t have a reason to consider the man’s death suspicious.

“There’s nothing at the scene, or in the initial review of the remains that suggests that it’s suspicious,” said Tracey. “It will be a long process in terms of the investigation into the cause of death. It could take a number of weeks or months."

Investigators were back at the plaza on Thursday. They were gathering evidence on the ground, and with the help of a drone, in case the man’s death is eventually determined to be suspicious.

Police said the body was found near the plaza and the park – both very busy areas.

“Royal City Park is right next to the plaza,” Tracey said. “There’s a playground and a large gazebo not far from here.”

He called the discovery a little unusual.

“We do have sudden death calls frequently, they’re quite often in homes or other buildings,” Tracey said. “To find remains in public is not something that’s terribly common.”

Investigators took down the police tape early Thursday afternoon.

They’re asking anyone with information on this case to give them a call.