But Coastal Otago Zone Cub leader Michelle van Rens has assured the occupation will only be temporary.
About 60 scouts from 20 scout groups in the coastal Otago zone will be set up in the Octagon today as part of the Thieves' Alley Market Day to promote Scouts New Zealand and raise funds for the organisation.
The group had two tents in the Octagon yesterday afternoon to publicise their activity today, which brought jeers of disgust from passing residents who thought they were members of the Occupy Movement which set up camp in the Octagon for about two months.
Ms van Rens said she was confronted by one resident, and went to great lengths to assure him the scout group's stay was temporary and approved by the Dunedin City Council.
Scouts equips young people aged 6 to 26 with life skills of problem-solving, team work, citizenship, and healthy living, as well as providing them with access to a large range of outdoor activities including caving, photography, flying, canoe and snow schools.
Ms van Rens said members of the keas (aged 6-8), cubs (8-11), scouts (11-14) and venturers (14-18) would be participating in activities with the community in a bid to raise funds for equipment which would help them achieve scouting skills.
Activities would include fishing from a pond, pillow fights on a "slippery pole", walking across a three-point rope bridge, gumboot throwing, pancake making, scout dunking, and a needle-in-the-haystack competition.
She said one of the highlights would be the pitch-a-tent competition, in which members of the public could race a scout in pitching a tent. The person with the fastest time can win a tent.
"It will be a marvellous opportunity for your children to come and have fun in a safe environment," she said.
