Duane Hicks
A local resident has asked town council to refrain from culling Canada geese that have been flocking to the area in increasing numbers over the past few years.
Third Street East resident Senja Holbrook told council Monday night that she and others are opposed to killing Canada geese at Seven Oaks because of the “complaints of a few people.”
The Seven Oaks area is popular with people and their dogs, and birds of all kinds—seagulls, pelicans, and loons—stop there while migrating, noted Holbrook.
“Many people come here to watch the birds and geese,” she said, later adding that “if you live in a city, you’d pay a zoo to get in and see birds and animals.”
Holbrook stressed there’s no need to kill the geese. They are just stopping by for the summer—something they have done long before people were here.
“My husband [Lawrence] and I support the Canadian Wildlife Federation to help wildlife for future generations,” Holbrook said.
“The Canada geese, the American eagle—we are at the Canada/U.S. border,” she noted.
“They’re not killing our geese and we’re not killing their eagles.
“Why slaughter the geese unnecessarily when they pass through?” she asked.
“Killing is why they’d become almost extinct before.”
Holbrook said if geese feces is such a big concern, why doesn’t the town give high school students another way to earn their community service hours by getting them to clean up the areas where geese, as well as other birds and dogs, go?
She also recommended the town plant trees on the other side of the tracks—and possibly the town could have a contest each year for groups or individuals who plant trees and clean up the park area, with businesses donating prizes.
“Thanks for listening,” concluded Holbrook.
“Please consider wildlife. They belong here just as much as we do.”
As reported last month, the Town of Fort Frances is looking at “humane methods of destruction” to get rid of the Canada geese, including a possible cull.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•agreed to supply GIS data to the Rainy River District Stewardship with a certain understanding as laid out in a report, and that the Rainy River District Stewardship be required to execute a geospatial data license agreement with the town (council denied a request to affix labels to existing trees);
•approved the write-off of 2008 Provincial Offences Act accounts receivables in the amount of $105,300.76 (as in past years, these fines are written-off for accounting purposes only and do not absolve a convicted offender from the requirement to pay a fine as debts to the Crown are owed in perpetuity and never forgiven);
•received a sponsorship request from Miss Rainy River District Alyssa Chiasson and directed no further action be taken;
•approved a purchase card expense claim for Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig in the amount of $161.70 (council also approved a travel expense claim for McCaig in the amount of $37.90 for attendance at the annual general meeting of the Rainy River District Municipal Association in Emo on Jan. 31);
•approved a per diem claim in the amount of $150 for Coun. Ken Perry for attendance at NOMA executive meeting Jan. 27 in Thunder Bay; and
•received notice that the regularly-scheduled council meeting for Feb. 23 is now moved to March 2 by council resolution.
