Archive: Around Town

Myers Park is not only popular with people.  It is also popular with geese.  The major difference is that when people have to go to the bathroom, they... well, they go to the bathroom.  Park Superintendent Steve Colt told the Lansing Town Board Wednesday that goose excrement is getting out of control, making parts of the park un-walkable and possibly creating a health hazard.

"The biggest problem we have in the park right now is Canadian Geese," he said. "It's a real strange situation.  These are birds that stay here year 'round.  They hatch young that imprint on the area.  They're not leaving and they like the park as much as the people do."

Colt says that park usage is growing, and that he fears the large volume of goose excrement is going to turn some people away from coming to the park.  He noted Wednesday that the Concerts In The Park series attracted record crowds this year.

Colt said he has read some studies to look for ways to get the geese to go away, and he would be consulting with bird experts, beginning at yesterday's Salt Point Committee meeting, and hopes that local bird experts will have a solution.

"They're not going to go anywhere," he said.  "So we're going to have to come up with some things to coax them to move somewhere else.  We really need to do that.  It's getting to be a problem."

v10i31