Geese at Kin Beach. (file photo/Vernon Matters Staff)

By Liam Verster

Vernon council

Council to hear from contractor on goose control plan

Aug 15, 2023 | 1:14 PM

An interested party has indicated they could deal with the geese who congregate at Paddlewheel Park and Kin Beach in Vernon.

At the regular meeting Monday, August 14, city council received a report with some options to manage the geese at these two locations.

The plans included detering the birds from congregating at the sites either through landscaping designs, which would first need to be investigated at the cost of $75,000, or through fencing. There was also an option for enhanced turf cleaning at the sites, which would make the park spaces more accessible and cleaner, but not move the geese.

However, another option was presented at the meeting.

Councillor Kari Gares indicated a contractor had reached out to offer their services in managing the goose population.

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She put forward a motion, stating “that staff investigate further information with regards to the goose harvest from the contractor that reached out to us, and that staff go back to that individual and request for them to come forward as a delegation so that they can provide appropriate background information for council to deliberate.”

Council voted in favour of receiving the original ‘Goose Management – Next Steps’ report, and then voted in support of Gares’ motion without further discussion.

Speaking with Vernon Matters following the meeting, Mayor Victor Cumming did not disclose the identity of the contractor or the details of what a “goose harvest” would entail, aside from it being “a small harvest over time to decrease the number of mating pairs.”

Council did not set a date for when the contractor would appear as a delegation.