Hamilton is nestled on the western edge of Lake Ontario, but in spite of the huge lake, swimming has long been a problem. A huge industrial area, swimming was banned in Hamilton harbor from the 1930’s due to the industrial waste and unchecked sewage.
It was only in the 1980’s that a real effort to change was begun.
By the 1990’s beaches were opened again in many areas around Lake Ontario and around Hamilton as a sign that things really had changed. But some swimming areas in the bay remain mostly closed throughout the summer
Water quality testing is carried out four times a week, and e-coli levels continue to pose a problem.
The coordinator of Hamilton Harbour’s Remedial Action Plan is John Hall, He says the problem is clear…it’s birds and their droppings.
Geese are attracted to the area by freshly mown lawns near the area which gives them lots to easily feed on.
Geese defecate every few minutes and when multiplied by the number of birds, there can be a big problem.
Humans aren’t helping because they feed the gulls and geese which have lost any fear of humans and are in fact attracted to them.
Adding to the problem is the fact that bay is water circulation, as the bay is not flushed to the same extent as other beaches.
A number of solutions have or are being tried such as consistently raking feces off the beaches so it doesn’t get into the water, and putting up a variety of fences and barriers to discourage the birds.
Hall said that his restoration team is planting rows of vegetation screens to “make the geese feel vulnerable to predators,” but it has proven difficult to trick the wily geese. “The birds are really smart. They send guard geese up on a hill to survey the lay of the land.”
So far, the birds still seem to have the upper hand, and residents have to travel outside the bay to swim at beaches where the water is safer.
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