With hundreds of geese at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park and along its shoreline, Port Colborne's parks and recreation department is doing its best to keep the area clean.

"There seem to be a lot more geese than in the past few years," says Michelle Cuthbert, the city's corporate communications officer.

She says the parks department has only received a few complaints about the large population of Canada geese that are feeding on grass in the park and near the bike/walking path along the shoreline.

The area is full of goose droppings, which can make things very slippery. Geese can eat at least two kilograms of grass each a day and defecate at least one kilogram a day each.

Their droppings can harbour disease and bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella, histoplasmosis, Campylobacter, coccidia and giardia.

Nesting pairs can be very aggressive early in the season and, even as the summer goes on, individual geese can be aggressive toward people and animals.

"We're looking at having the geese relocated but it's about $10,000 to do it," says Cuthbert, adding it's an item that can be added in the 2020 budget. "We want to relocate them in a safe way."

Earlier this year the City of Welland hired Wildlife Management Group to relocate geese on the Welland Recreational Canal in the area from Welland International Flatwater Centre to Lincoln Street Docks.

Welland set aside $16,000 in its 2019 budget to deal with cleaning up docks along the waterway, along with controlling the geese. The wildlife control program portion cost $10,000.

Cuthbert says Port Colborne is doing its best to live with the geese and keep the park and the bike-walking path clean.

"Every Friday the street sweeper cleans the path."

With a nearby food vendor - Dawg's Burgers and Fries - and people picnicking in the park, Cuthbert says visitors should be mindful not to engage the geese by throwing them food.

Nathaniel.Johnson@niagaradailies.com

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