by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
A day after more than 50 pigeons were found dead in Nehru Rose Garden under mysterious circumstances, the post mortem report said ‘electrocution’ is the reason behind the deaths.
Municipal Corporation got post mortem done from Government Veterinary Dispensary, Haibowal. The report was out on Saturday which said that ‘even healthy birds have died showing symptoms of electrocution.’
Talking to Newsline, A S Sekhon, health wing incharge of MC, said, “Postmortem has confirmed that reason behind death was electrocution. “It has been found through the colour of the birds after death and absence of injuries.
“The report adds that entire internal functioning stopped suddenly which is not at all a possibility unless something happens like electrocution. Also majority of birds that died were healthy.” He added that MC was able to recover around 25 dead birds and post mortem was performed on three of them.
Also since, there was no wire or pole near the spot, thunderstorm is being suspected as reason of electrocution. On Thursday night, the city witnessed hailstorm and thunderstorm.
Morning walkers at Nehru Rose Garden were in for a horrendous surprise on Friday morning when carcass of numerous pigeons were scattered all around the place.
City’s rose garden presents an utter dismal picture as it once had a full fledged zoo which stored monkeys, deer, ducks and rabbits for children to visit. Now it houses nothing except pigeons after similar incident happened on 2012 when rabbits were found dead on April 28 and reportedly the cage was left open due an employee’s negligence.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Theresa Schultz used to feed a flock of pigeons in Point State Park all the time. She thought she was performing a public service.
But park rangers didn’t see it that way. Two years ago they told the 81-year-old Squirrel Hill resident to stop because she was attracting geese and creating a nuisance.”They said it was up to them, not me,” she said. “I would not defy.”Mrs. Schultz followed orders because she feared going to jail.She needn’t have worried. Rarely are ordinances governing city, county and state parks enforced for minor infractions. And when they are, law-breakers get little more than a slap on the wrist.As temperatures rise and people flock to the region’s public spaces, violations of various rules seem rampant, according to an informal survey conducted in recent days by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporters.A host of illicit behaviors — walking dogs off a leash, splashing about in fountains and feeding birds — was visible from Mellon Square to Frick Park, Schenley Plaza to Point State Park.To be sure, certain misbehavior — such as public nudity or intoxication — is bound to spur unwanted attention or even a police response. But it’s the lesser violations, which also tend to be habitual, that underscore the toothless nature of regulations.”I’ve never seen anyone get in trouble for anything in a Pittsburgh park,” said Jason Lockard, 34.Court records attest to this. A review of Pittsburgh Municipal Court records shows just six violations this year under use regulations for parks and public spaces. Five were for being in parks after hours, and one was for driving off paved roads. None carried a fine. Last year there were 22 violations.The same low rate of enforcement holds true for the county’s public transit system, which asks patrons to obey rider etiquette in various ways. Citations are rare, Port Authority spokesman Jim Ritchie said, because the first response is simply to ask people eating, drinking or smoking on the bus or light rail to stop.Officials at all government levels say they prefer to educate rather than incarcerate.The clash between enforcing public ordinances and ignoring them has come into focus in Mellon Square, a Downtown plaza that reopened last month after a six-year, $10 million renovation.A prominent sign posted by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy near the center of the square bans, first and foremost, feeding pigeons and other birds. It also prohibits all forms of littering, swimming and bathing in the fountain and camping and building fires. By and large, these laws are uniform across the city, county and state.But Pittsburgh Councilwoman Darlene Harris, an avowed bird-feeding advocate, complains that ordinances are being unequally enforced. In her opinion, if the city wants to ban littering, then all forms of it — like throwing cigarette butts and french fries on the ground — must be punished. She said people like Mrs. Schultz who feed birds are being unfairly targeted.”Those parks are for everyone,” she said. “You can’t say, ‘you can’t feed the birds, but you can have lunch here.'”Mrs. Harris took issue with the parks conservancy setting rules for the use of public space.”When they start telling our residents what they can and cannot do in parks, then they are taking the roles of elected officials,” she said.Chris Fletcher, the conservancy’s content officer, defended his group’s role.”We were invited to be a part of this project, and we are required to follow all ordinances of the city,” Mr. Fletcher said. “The code expressly says that you can’t leave any organic or inorganic materials on the ground.”Even with the rule on the books, chances are slim that anyone would get in trouble for feedings birds in the plaza.Myron Hyman, a Mellon Square guard from the AM-GARD security firm contracted by the city, said he is supposed to allow people to feed pigeons out of their hands. More flagrant feeders who throw food on the ground are not cited, Mr. Myron, 29, said, but he gives them a stern lecture.In Pittsburgh there is no rule against feeding birds, but officials interpret the ban on littering to prohibit such activity. In the past two years, just one person has been charged under the city’s sanitation ordinance. The charge carried no monetary penalty and was dismissed.Meanwhile, county officials cannot write citations for feeding wildlife because it is not formalized in county ordinances, according to county spokeswoman Amie Downs.At all levels, the goal is education, officials said.”We want to bring the public up to speed — to teach them about the hazards and the dangers of feeding wildlife,” said John Hallas, assistant director of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of State Parks.Citations are issued only in cases of “flagrant or habitual violations,” and they carry little penalty beyond a nominal fine, Mr. Hallas said.The same apparently applies to dog walkers, who flout the rules just as much as bird feeders, if not more so.On a recent sunny weekday in Frick Park, dogs roamed untethered. Tricia Wood of Edgewood said she is careful to put her Australian Shepherd on a leash when she sees a white truck approaching — what she says is the well-known signal to dog walkers that Pittsburgh’s Bureau of Animal Care & Control is near. Otherwise, she said, the “off-leash area” carries little practical meaning.Rich Wagner, 57, said he walks through Frick Park’s four miles of trails every day, and frequently sees people walking their dogs without leashes despite it being a violation of city ordinances. He added that most rules have little hold over people’s behavior because there are few signs posted in the park.John Levine, a professor of social psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, said the prominence of signs articulating a given rule is a deciding factor in whether it is followed.When a rule is unclear or does not exist, it is social consensus that determines the norms people follow, Mr. Levine said.An Animal Control employee who would not give his name said he “could” cite people caught with roaming dogs, but rarely does. He referred further comment to Sonya Toler, spokeswoman for the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety.Ms. Toler said that when someone breaks a law that is not a criminal offense, the police prefer to instruct rather than arrest.Mr. Levine said authorities use a cost-benefit analysis when deciding how to punish misbehavior. For park-related infractions, he said, the sliding scale may lead to a more lax response.On the same day that owners unleashed their dogs in Frick Park, Kinjal Patel, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, dipped her feet in an Oakland fountain near Schenley Plaza, which is owned by the city. She said she knew it was against the rules, recalling how a Pitt police officer once told her to stop playing in the water. But he didn’t write her up, so, she figured, what’s the risk?Meghan Dale, a Pitt graduate student, said the enforcement of rules is similarly loose for the possession of alcohol on the plaza, where students congregate at outdoor concerts and other events.”As long as you’re not chugging,” Ms. Dale said, “it’s pretty hard to get in trouble.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News
A pigeon keeper whose birds were killed and lofts destroyed by a fire on Newcastle Quayside has spoken of his pain.
Shaun Dixon, 43, had only been keeping his beloved pigeons 18 months before he lost all 56 in the blaze, while one and a half of his two lofts were burnt to cinders.
Five lofts were destroyed altogether, while locks were also broken off many, with tools and other items missing from inside.
“I’m devastated,” said Shaun. “We get attached to our pigeons and they’re something we can never replace. This fire was definitely malicious, I’m going to have to start building all over again now.”
In total more than 400 pigeons were killed, worth tens of thousands of pounds to their owners.
This is believed to be the most recent in a string of arson attacks on pigeon crees in the North East.
Allotments were burnt in Benwell in May, while the Quayside site has suffered numerous previous incidents.
One pigeon keeper, who wished not to be named, said: “The people who did this weren’t kids, they must have been pretty strong to break the locks off the doors. They got in, took what they wanted and then set fire to the middle loft.
“Most of the guys here have been doing this since 1974. It’s a crying shame.”
Firefighters arrived at the scene where the huge blaze had taken hold on Skinnerburn Road near the Metro Radio Arena at around 9pm on Thursday.
The flames and smoke could be seen from the city centre and beyond.
The blaze happened while firefighters were on a 24-hour strike. Emergency crews put in place to provide cover during the walk-outs were dealing with the incident.
A spokeswoman for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said: “The cause of the fire is now under investigation.”
Witness Andy Milne, 27, said: “I live on the other side of the river, when it first started I just saw smoke and it got bigger and bigger.
“It was a few minutes later the fire engines started coming down and it just got bigger and bigger from that. Some of the trees round there caught fire.
“It looked like a building on fire. It is quite a sight, especially from this side of the river. It was a bit worrying considering the fire brigade were on strike.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht said tonight it is calling on climbers and walkers in the area to help protect the Peregrine Falcons, which are nesting in the quarry and have four chicks nearly ready to fledge.
Peregrine Falcons are a protected species and the deliberate killing of them is a criminal offence.
The Department said that a “significant threat” to the birds has arisen, as on Wednesday evening a walker noticed two tethered pigeons flapping near the Perigrine Falcons’ nest.
The pigeons’ wings had been clipped to stop them flying, and the birds had been attached to ground stakes. They also had a “wet substance” on their neck.
The pigeons were brought to the State laboratories for testing.
It is believed that they were laced with a poison in a deliberate attempt to kill the breeding Falcons. Peregrines eat live prey and would have been attracted to the pigeons by their wing flapping as they attempted to escape their tethers.
The NPWS and the Parks Department for Killiney Hill, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council are now calling on the public who use the park to remain vigilant and report any similar incidents.
Here’s how you can help:
- Look out for people acting suspiciously around the nest area
- Keep watch for tethered birds or birds fluttering a lot in the one area but not moving, which may mean that they are tied in some way.
- Report any dead birds seen
- Keep children and pets away from suspect birds
”It is not tolerable for these majestic and extraordinary birds of prey or any other wildlife to be persecuted or poisoned,” said Jimmy Deenihan, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News
Alderman Bill Wilson said he had received complaints from people concerned about the pigeons congregating in food areas and on tables.
The main problem spots were in the mall, Stewart St and southern Rooke Street, he said.
Alderman Wilson will table a notice of motion at Monday night’s council meeting calling for a report in relation to the health concerns related to pigeons in the CBD and whether measures are needed to eradicate them.
Alderman Wilson said that after seagulls became an issue at the MCG, artificial hawks on grandstands were used to deter the avian invaders from the ground.
“There are various methods to look at to deter pigeons if they are a problem in the city,” Alderman Wilson said.
“You can also put spikes around a building or have sloped surfaces so it doesn’t give the birds a place to sit.”
Burnie Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice-president Philip McCulloch confirmed yesterday that some BCCI members had raised feral pigeons as a problem at various times.
Mr McCulloch said the matter was then passed on to the Burnie City Council.
Last year Fosters Music Centre in Burnie addressed a problem with pigeons by installing metal spikes on the roof of the Cattley Street business to stop the birds from damaging newly painted signage.
Neighbouring legal firm McLean, McKenzie and Topfer had written to the Burnie City Council expressing its concern about large numbers of pigeons living in the CBD.
Burnie City Council general manager Andrew Wardlaw said at the time that the council would be responsible for cleaning up areas where pigeons were roosting if on council property or areas that the public utilised such as paths.
According to a fact sheet from South Australia Health, feral pigeons can become public health pests and tend to accumulate wherever there is food and shelter.
The potential health risks included transmission of diseases such as histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and psittacosis (ornithosis), and attraction of ticks, mites, cockroaches and rats.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Morning walkers at Nehru Rose Garden were in for a shock on Friday morning when they saw carcasses of numerous pigeons scattered all around.
While the exact number of dead pigeons is not known, eyewitnesses estimated that around 50-60 pigeons were lying dead in the garden. What surprised people was that there was no bleeding or injury marks.
However, since the city witnessed a powerful thunderstorm and hailstorm on late Thursday night, it is also being cited as the reason for mass deaths. Parmeet Sethi, a resident who witnessed the site in the morning, said, “There were no naked wires or any electricity pole where birds were lying dead. Maybe lightning fell on them but that is only a suspicion. The exact reason must be known through proper post-mortem.”
Residents suspected that birds might have fallen prey to poisonous grains or food served by people in the Rose Garden. “People come here daily to offer grains to pigeons. Maybe they ate something poisonous,” said Pravin Kumar, a resident.
The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation was not aware of the deaths initially. Sumit Jarangal, additional commissioner and in-charge of Rose Garden and horticulture department, said, “I will get the dead bodies cleared from the garden and also find out the reason behind the tragedy.” Later, Jarangal said that “pigeons died because of short circuit”, but failed to explain the source of short circuit. Sandeep Jain, co-opted member of Animal Welfare Board of India, also contacted Jarangal and demanded post-mortem of the pigeons to know the exact reason.
Isha Kalia, additional commissioner, confirmed to Newsline that a post-mortem had been ordered. “Health wing incharge A S Sekhon and animal husbandry department have been given responsibility to get the post-mortem done,” she said. The Rose Garden presents an utter dismal picture. While once it had a full-fledged zoo with monkeys, deer, ducks and rabbits, now it houses nothing except pigeons.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News
Sometimes the tiniest things bring happiness.
This week my little pearls of happiness were a few blueberries from our garden. Seemingly trivial over which to get excited, several years without a single berry made this morning’s handful of plump blueberries a trophy to tout.
It started five years ago with 10 select bushes of 3-year-old organic plants. Location selected, prepared, and soil amendments properly incorporated, all directions were carefully followed for transplant. The first year the flowers are plucked, allowing the plant to develop a strong root system, so no berries.
Year 2, spring came and the worms from nearby infested tress decimated the leaves yet some berries did appear. However, they fell off before coming ripe due to weather conditions. So I focused on growth of the plants, again.
Unfortunately, the hired help for fall cleanup decided the bushes looked like weeds and pulled each one out with much tugging. Devastated, I rapidly replanted back in the same holes somehow hoping that would magically assist in recovery of what had been, just minutes earlier, strong and vigorous plants. Then a friend moved, she dug up her blueberries and gave them to me. Surely, I thought, with three times as many bushes, we have much better chances to yield a great bounty despite the replanting! Next spring there were hoards of green berries, and bird netting went onto the bushes just as I had seen done by my neighbors, but the birds simply went under it for the feast, not one berry was had by a human.
The next year’s attempt included a wood-frame cage with bird netting tied to the fencing and posts, the bottom draped to the ground with extra to spare. Those pesky devils found their way through the three-quarter-inch netting leaving only when lifting the net to free them. Persistent, I nearly declared war on the birds I adore and feed round, but I wanted a ripe blueberry!
Instead I got really serious with the netting. A heavy gauge half-inch netting that I tediously hand sewed together and meticulously formed over a strong metal framework tall enough to walk inside with a bottom held down by 4-by-4s there’s not a gap anywhere. It is a fortress with a plastic owl sentry warning birds of my intended wrath.
Finally, this morning’s yogurt was adorned with a handful of nickel-sized, deep blue, sweet blueberries, absolutely delightful. Those blue pearls have made my summer wonderful!
Blueberries, anti-oxidant rich pearls great for snacking, salads, desserts and breakfast, are now in season. You can get plenty without fighting the birds, netting, or Mother Nature as locally grown blueberries are at the farmers market for the next 5 to 6 weeks perfectly ripe and ready to eat.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
Hawaii’s only electric cooperative is trying to determine whether laser technology could reduce deaths and injuries to seabirds in its service territory.
This green laser pattern reflected on a transmission pole is one of several being tested to help prevent bird collisions. (Photo By: Carey Koide /KIUC)
Kauai Island Utility Cooperative is testing a new “light fence” along a portion of its system. Co-op crews are attaching 30 lasers on transmission poles about one mile inland from the island’s southern coastline.
“The purpose of this research is to learn more about the birds and their patterns of activity so we can come up with ways to minimize potential hazards and do it in a cost-effective way,” said Carey Koide, transmission and distribution manager for the Lihue-based co-op.
The research is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife. More than 80 species of birds live on Kauai, including seabirds, native forest and wetland birds, according to scientists.
“As far as we know, this is the first time anywhere that lasers have been used to create a ‘fence’ for the birds,” Koide said.
Laser generators are being installed on six spans of a transmission line. The laser generators will provide narrow beams of light, similar to those produced by pointers, focused parallel to the ground.
Several colors and patterns of light will be tested in an area outside of designated aviation space to prevent the lasers from posing aircraft hazards.
“Researchers want to determine whether the green beams provide a deterrent for native species like the Newell’s shearwater and the Hawaiian petrel,” said Shelley Paik, KIUC’s public affairs specialist, adding that those species are particularly vulnerable to utility line collisions.
“They fly in and out to sea at night and in the early morning and are at greatest risk during a new moon phase when the skies are darkest,” Paik said.
If the test is successful, deployment of a similar system could occur along a transmission corridor near Wailua, where bird collisions are more frequent, said Paik. That could be less expensive than lowering or burying power lines.
The co-op spends about $2 million annually on endangered species protection, including research, power line and lighting configuration, predator control, habitat restoration and rehabilitation of injured birds.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
METRO VANCOUVER — A night of drinking and shooting pigeons with a pellet gun turned violent in Langley and ended with a man in police custody.
Langley RCMP arrested a man at a rural Langley property in the 21900-block of 64th Avenue Tuesday night for assaulting a woman.
The incident happened after the suspect and his 12-year-old son had been shooting birds together.
The boy was shot in the hip, upsetting his mother. When she confronted the boy’s father about the injury, he assaulted her. The adults had been drinking.
The woman and her son left the property to contact police and the man stayed inside the residence.
Police attended and at about 8 p.m. and ERT teams negotiated with the 40-year-old man (top left) until he came outside.
He was arrested without incident and taken into custody.
File Photo
The Langley Detachment Investigational Support Team is pursuing the case and charges are pending.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 4, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
The following questions were asked recently on the Wonderline:
Q: The Lincoln Avenue underpass has been recently painted by city employees. How much was budgeted for this project and what was actually spent, including the city employees’ labor? Also, the pigeons are still roosting in the underpass — how much was spent attempting to stop the pigeons from roosting where they have been for many years?
A: Mitch Doht, the city’s public works director, says “$165,000 was in this year’s budget for painting the underpass. Informal contractor estimates for the project were around $250,000. I don’t have final numbers on what the city spent because the project is not yet complete and because not all of the expenses have been invoiced, but my feeling is that we should be around $80,000, including all wages, equipment and materials. We only spent half of our budget, and not even one-third of what it would have cost for a contractor to do it. City government at its best, if you ask me. I’m really proud of our employees for the quality job they did and the money they saved taxpayers.”
As far as the pigeon issue, Doht had this informative and yet entertaining message, directed to the pigeons themselves:
“A personal message to all you freeloading pigeons in York. I realize you have been living in the same place for many years, following the same boring routine, into the underpass, out of the underpass, into the underpass, out of the underpass, etc., but today is a new day! Change is a good thing. Spread your wings and find a new place to live. Maybe Seward has an underpass? I realize that York’s city property tax levy is way lower than Seward’s, but you will be so much closer to Lincoln. Imagine the possibilities! By the way, consider this your eviction notice! I mistakenly left you a couple little spots at the underpass for you and your buddies to fight over, but alas, those too will soon be gone. Good luck and Godspeed!”
And he added, regarding the cost of pigeon proofing, that it “wasn’t much.”
Q: Every summer the City street department repairs and fills cracks in streets, however this year this job has not been done yet. Will this project be completed yet this summer or did the Lincoln Avenue underpass project take away the workers from other necessary street repair projects?
A: Doht responds, “They tell me that it has actually been many years since pavement crack sealing has been done in York. The city’s tar machine is a piece of crap and it wasn’t working for several years. So I borrowed a pavement router (Thanks Tom and Harv!), leased a tar machine, and we are back at it this year, and will be every year while I’m in charge.
“I totally agree that this type of work is necessary. A formal pavement preservation program is one of my goals for the street department. Well-timed, routine maintenance strategies can save us so much money over the life of a pavement.
“You are also correct, in that every project we do takes away from every other project on the list. Does that make sense? I’m not sure that people understand that we have a much longer list of needs than what will ever get done with our current resources. We do our best to prioritize projects and really try to make a difference. Thankfully, crack seal and underpass painting both made the cut this year. Crack sealing work has already started at several locations in town. Those areas will be finished in the next few weeks. A much larger pavement preservation project will happen this fall or next spring, depending upon how the new budget is finalized.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 4, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Rome has been invaded by thousands of gulls – the birds boldly steal food, make a mess on statues and have even attacked the Pope’s doves of peace.
I was on the bus the other morning, drowsily heading for work, but through the window I spotted something that woke me up – a rather gruesome scene.
On the pavement a big, powerful gull was standing over a pigeon it had killed. Then the gull grabbed the carcass in its beak, launched himself over the top of my bus, dropped into a piazza and starting to tear the pigeon apart.
I suppose I still expect gulls to do the sort of things they’re supposed to, like ride the wind on lonely shorelines, follow trawlers, live off scraps of fish – not devour pigeons on city streets.
But in many places these birds are giving up on the sea, and moving to town. Rome is no exception.
For thousands of years it had no nesting gulls. They only began coming in the 1980s, lured by bins and dumps groaning with food chucked away by modern Romans. Now there are tens of thousands of gulls here and this latest invasion of the Eternal City can be a bit barbaric.
Earlier this year Pope Francis was at his window, high above the masses in St Peter’s Square. Beside him two children held two, pure white doves of peace. They released them, and the crowd cheered.
Horrifyingly one bird was almost immediately attacked in mid-air by a gull. He got the dove up against a wall of the Pope’s palace, but he only had his prey by the tail.
The pigeon got away, leaving the gull with just a beak-full of feathers. Still, it was hard to imagine a more disturbing omen for peace. And things didn’t get any better when a vicious looking crow savaged the other hapless dove.
But Rome’s gulls surely love the autumn most, when millions of starlings come to the city. They swarm at dusk. It’s one of nature’s great air shows.
The flocks make vast, dark, swirling smudges in the sky. Hundreds of thousands of birds moving, almost as one, twisting and turning through the fading light. Then they roost in a screeching mass in the trees along the Tiber.
In ancient Rome the shapes the starlings made in the heavens were watched for signs – a way of knowing the mood of the gods. But these days, the swarms are hunted by the gulls. For them, it must be a sort of banqueting season.
The gulls aren’t only bothering the local wildlife. I was at a rooftop bar the other evening. A posh place with white table cloths and a sweeping panorama of the city skyline.
But the gulls were making trouble. They’d perch on the edge of the balcony, almost within touching distance and fix you with a hungry glare. They wanted your snacks.
I watched a big gull make his move. As soon as a table was abandoned he was on it – ravenously gulping down the leftovers on a plate.
Next to us another gull was threatening an assault on a table that was still occupied. A smartly-dressed lady with blonde hair piled high on her head didn’t like this, and her male companion was struggling to calm her down.
But it wasn’t so much a scene from Hitchcock’s The Birds – more of a pantomime really. A gull chick was slithering around on the tiles demanding food from his mother, screeching and screeching.
The restaurant’s pianist was doing his best, tinkling away. But the place still sounded like Aberdeen when the trawlers come home.
As soon as we stood up from our table a gull was on it, pecking at the peanuts. A chubby waiter trotted over, and wearily flapped a menu at the big bird.
Those lucky enough to have rooftop apartments must loathe the gulls who become their rowdy neighbours in the nesting season.
The birds can be aggressive if they think you’re threatening their chicks. You can be subjected to much squawking, and dive-bombing assaults or even be the target of a well-aimed streak of seagull droppings. That’ll spoil your morning on your terrace.
But as it happens I don’t live up at the top of a palazzo and I don’t mind the gulls. In fact, I reckon these latest arrivals add something to the ancient city.
I like to see flocks of them cooling off in the river when I cross the Tiber on a summer evening. I like to watch them go drifting, wings out-stretched across the red rooftops, gliding gracefully between the domes of the churches in the setting sun.
And they’re here to stay. The seagulls have become Romans.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 2, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
A big problem with pigeons and the mess they leave behind is one of the driving factors behind a $900,000 renovation project at the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority’s downtown bus station in New Bedford.
“There are droppings everywhere. You can see them all over the place. That’s all from the pigeons,” said Vince Livingston.
The birds have been flocking to the steel rafters of the building ever since the ceiling was removed in the mid 2000’s.
“It’s a pain in the neck because you know they crap on you. I’ve seen them crap on a lot of people and it’s just sickening you know,” said Bobby Texeira.
An administrator with the SRTA says a major reason for the renovation is to help fix the pigeon problem.
“They do make quite a mess and especially in the wintertime, that’s really where we struggle the most in terms of cleaning it. It is difficult to go out and steam clean a sidewalk when most likely it is going to freeze,” said Erik Rousseau, an SRTA administrator.
The first phase of the renovation project started last year. The project is now in its second phase which involves ceiling tiles being put up.
“We really want this to be a comfortable convenient place for people to travel. We don’t want to add stress to them by having them worry about birds,” said Rousseau.
Bus riders say they have already noticed a difference since the tiles have started going up.
“Now that they started doing the work it’s less of a conflict. It keeps the property a whole lot cleaner,” said Willy Hart.
The renovation is being funded by both federal and state money. It is expected to be complete by the end of next month.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 30, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
COUNCILLORS are looking at ways to tackle the problem of pigeons in parts of their town.
At the latest meeting of Welshpool Town Council, during the public question time slot, County Councillor Francesca Jump raised the issue of pigeons in the Puzzle Square area of Welshpool.
Councillor for that area of the town, Ann Holloway assured members the problem had been resolved and the passages were being watched.
Cllr Dr John Morgan told fellow members he was in the process of getting a legal opinion from the British Association of Shooting and Conservation on the shooting of the pigeons.
He said: “I am in the process of getting a legal opinion on the legalities of getting an airgun for the pigeons in Hopkins Passage.”
However, Cllr John Corfield said he would like to investigate a “more humane way” of tackling the problem.
He said: “I would not be in favour of shooting any pigeons, due to the cruelty aspect. It’s an animal after all, it lives and breathes.
“I know it’s a problem but we should investigate other more humane ways of sorting this.”
Cllr Phil Pritchard agreed.
He said: “While they are a nuisance, I could not be party to shooting them.
“However I’ve got to say, while we’re talking about pigeons, we should also be talking about the seagulls in Oldford. Wherever Powys (County Council) put the bins, they follow. We have as much as a problem with seagulls, as well as pigeons.
“However, I cannot support the killing of the birds.”
Cllr Steve Kaye suggested the council should partner up with the community and seek the possibility of letting hawks go, to scare the pigeons off.
Cllr Morgan agreed to seek further legal advice on the matter as he said they are a health hazard.
He said: “In particular it’s a health hazard with their droppings in the Hopkins Passage area.
“Someone could slip on the droppings and break something.
“I would also like to urge people not to feed the pigeons either.”
Councillors agreed to discuss the issue further at a meeting of the council’s business forum.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 30, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Pigeons are turning pavements under a railway bridge into ‘no-go’ areas for pedestrians it has been claimed.
The amount of excrement the birds roosting under the structure at Kerse Lane in Falkirk are dropping is causing concern.
Now a local shop manager has called for action to deal with the mess.
David Pacitti, boss of the William Hill bookmakers at nearby Ladysmill, has paid the price for being in the wrong place at the wrong time as he has walked under the bridge used by trains in and out of Grahamston Station.
The 40-year-old from Ward Avenue in Redding has had two pairs of trousers ruined – and a bill to have a jacket drycleaned – after being ‘bombed’ three times in as many weeks.
He said: “When I walk into town from the shop on business, going under the bridge is the obvious option. But it’s disgusting. There is pigeon faeces all over the place and dead birds hanging in the netting above your head. The pavements on both sides of the road have not been cleaned for months and become a real eyesore. Anyone walking through this mess has to be facing a health hazard. It’s ridiculous and I think something has to be done.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 23, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
JUST a few minutes spent around some of Junee’s heritage buildings or Broadway is all it takes to spot a dreaded pigeon.
The mess created by their nesting and residency can be a health concern and a maintenance burden but it’s hoped that that will no longer be the case.
The Junee Business and Trades Association (JBT) is working on a plan to rid the town of the feathered beasts.
“We’ve identified the problem and over the past few years it’s been getting worse,” JBT member Brian Higginson said.
Mr Higginson has been developing a plan to make a dramatic impact on the number of the pigeons around Junee.
“They’re quite a problem when it comes to the town’s presentation,” he said.
Before large events such as the Farmers Markets or Rhythm ‘n’ Rail Festival, Junee Shire Council wash pavements, but it only hides the problem briefly.
“Shopkeepers are continually hosing down their footpaths – it’s a continual cost for them, the birds are also carriers of disease,” Mr Higginson said.
“The plan is in its infancy but we’re working on a solution to fix the problem … we’re seeking advice on the most effective way to eradicate them.
“Our goal is to reduce the numbers dramatically.”
However, while the JBT have taken the lead on the plan, Mr Higginson said to ensure success they needed help.
“We’d like the whole town to get behind this … it’s not just a problem for businesses, it’s got to be a town-wide effort,” he said.
“If we remove the birds from one building, it won’t be successful as they will roost in other buildings.”
Mr Higginson said helping with the pigeon problem could be by simply sealing points where pigeons can get inside buildings.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 22, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
The roof of the Prestige Senior Living High Desert facility in northeast Bend is littered with Avitrol, a bird repellent used by licensed pest control agencies. The repellent can cause seizures to birds, often in mid-flight. And during last week’s heat wave, it even led to deaths.
“Many of the birds were found on the pavement, where temperatures were over 140 degrees,” said Dr. Jeff Cooney, veterinarian with the High Desert Wildlife Rehab & Rehabilitation Center.
“Their hearts were racing, they were seizing, and they were often dying of cardiac arrest,” Cooney said/
All are side-effects of the bird repellent Avitrol, sold in the form of corn kernels that birds will consume when spread across their normal feed.
The wildlife center hired a local drone company to fly over the building to confirm that the repellent was on the roof. The video confirmed the poison, and uncovered a dead pigeon lying on the roof.
But bird carcasses have been found in other areas as well. When we initially reported this story on Friday night, Jeannette Bonomo of the High Desert Wildlife Center said that pigeons were found either seizing or dead near the Forum Shopping Center at Highway 20 and NE 27th Street.
“People were literally seeing them fall out of the sky, crash onto the ground, flopping around like a typical seizure,” Bonomo said.
Prestige Senior Living High Desert, an assisted living center to the north of the shopping center, declined to comment on our story, but issued a statement in response to concern and criticism.
“At Prestige Senior Living, the health, well-being and safety of our residents is our highest priority,” the statement began.
“When we assumed operation of High Desert, we saw that pigeons – after years of roosting – had accumulated a large amount of droppings near an air intake. We contracted with a licensed, professional company to manage the problem for us. We understand the approach they used conforms to applicable laws and regulations.”
We contacted the Oregon Department of Agriculture to confirm the legality of using Avitrol. Several areas, including San Francisco and the state of New York, have banned the toxic bait. However, it’s currently legal in the state of Oregon to use Avitrol to deter birds from an environment.
“We have not seen any reason to ban this product yet,” said Mike Odenthal of the state agency’s pesticide division. “We suggest that people look for other ways to deter the birds, but there are some cases where this may be the only or best option that a person has to repel birds.”
However, Odenthal went on to say that the repellent is not only used as a last-ditch effort. When asked if a customer could request that a pest control company use Avitrol on their premises, he said, “It’s possible.”
“That’s to be expected when you use (Avitrol), that you are going to kill some birds,” he added.
But as birds die, and others suffer seizures, those left to take care of them argue that just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s right.
“Humanely euthanize them, if that’s why you need to do (this), to eliminate them,” Cooney said.
“But to give them a poison where it’s just out, uncontrolled — that’s a little bit extreme, in my opinion,” he added.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 21, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Hidden from public view for more than 50 years, the interior dome of the old Fayette County Courthouse is fading and starting to deteriorate.
The yellow paint on the walls is peeling. Pigeons have moved in.
On the ceiling of the dome are black dots — burned-out light bulbs that used to replicate stars.
The cost to restore the dome to what it looked like in 1900, when the courthouse first opened, is one of several issues that will be addressed in a new study.
This month, the Urban County Council approved a $110,000 contract with EOP architects for an initial structure assessment and a historical inventory of the four-story former courthouse on Main Street.
The building was closed in July 2012 after the discovery of lead dust, asbestos and other hazardous materials. The three museums that were housed in the building — the Lexington History Museum, a police museum and a pharmacy museum — were forced out.
“This is the first step to see what needs to be done,” said Jeff Fugate, president of the Lexington Downtown Development Authority, which is overseeing the old courthouse project. “I really hope this report will be a call to action.”
The report will be finished in late fall. It will serve as a road map for the next steps for one of the city’s oldest municipal buildings.
“We can’t move forward without knowing what we are dealing with,” Fugate said.
Foster Ockerman Jr. said he hopes the EOP assessment will generate more public input and investment in the structure that sits in the heart of downtown in a bustling entertainment district.
Ockerman has pushed to have the courthouse restored since 2001, when construction began on Lexington’s two newer courthouses.
“Why has it taken so long?” Ockerman asked about efforts to restore the building. “It’s just a function of the community bringing its focus to the old courthouse. We have had a lot going on. We have been concerned about CentrePointe, the Lyric Theatre and then Rupp Arena.”
Mayor Jim Gray temporarily suspended the Rupp Arena project in June.
Ockerman, a lawyer, said now that Rupp is off the table, he hopes the city and its citizens can focus on the courthouse.
Ockerman chairs the nonprofit Courthouse Square Foundation, which has been working with the city to find new uses for the building — Fayette County’s fifth courthouse and the third on that site.
With new developments on Main Street, including the nearby 21c Museum Hotel and CentrePointe, that area of downtown has become a focal point, Ockerman said.
To have a historic building sit dark for too long can drain energy from downtown and send the wrong message to visitors and investors, Fugate said.
“We put between two to three million dollars into Cheapside Park, millions of dollars have gone into restaurants in the area, $40 million in the 21c Museum and hundreds of millions into the CentrePointe development,” Fugate said. “For us to yawn and assume that the courthouse isn’t important or that the courthouse is too hard, does not encourage people to invest in Lexington.”
Lexington has a habit of tearing down its historic public buildings, Fugate said.
“We tore down the old post office, we tore down the old train station, we have torn down the old city hall,” Fugate said. “The only major historic public building left in Lexington is the old courthouse, and it sits on Main Street.”
Once EOP finishes its assessment, the city will have a better idea of what it will cost to fix some of the problems in the building.
A previous study estimated the cost at $18 million to $20 million to restore the courthouse to what it looked like before the 1960s, when it was modernized and its atrium was filled with HVAC systems, bathrooms and other mechanical structures.
Before that major renovation, the central atrium rose 111 feet from the ground level to the interior top of the dome. It had a two-story staircase and a dramatic, two-story courtroom.
Andrew Moore and Daniel Polk of EOP started their assessment last week. Moore said they are trying to determine exactly what’s in the building, what’s original and what was added. Polk said that even the most current architectural plans for the courthouse have rooms marked on them that are no longer there.
A complete restoration to what it looked like when it opened in 1900 might be too costly, Fugate said.
It’s the cost that worries Urban County Council member Julian Beard.
“$18 million is too much,” Beard said. Beard, who has been the council’s most vocal skeptic about the project, said he also questions whether the courthouse could be converted into retail or cafe space.
“It only has two parking spaces,” Beard said.
But how the space will be used might determine what work will be needed, Fugate said.
Ockerman said that it could still be used for museum space or possibly the Visitors and Convention Bureau, now called VisitLex.
“It’s the perfect place to start any sort of historic tour in Fayette County,” Ockerman said.
Other possibilities include retail, cafe and market space on the ground floor, public meeting space on the second floor and office space and storage on the third and fourth floors.
EOP is working with Philadelphia firm Preservation Design Partnership, which specializes in restoring and repurposing historic buildings. Part of the report will include possible uses for the building, said Moore, project manager for EOP.
The city has set aside a little more than $500,000 for the initial planning stages of the project.
The Lexington Downtown Development Authority is exploring a host of funding options depending on what the space will be used for. Those options could include historic and other tax credits, private investment, fundraising and public money.
“What the space will be used for will decide how we fund it,” Fugate said.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 21, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
While the Toronto Blue Jays were supposedly violating the unwritten rules of baseball in their 4-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday, a pair of rogue pigeons found their way on to the field at Rogers Centre despite the roof being closed and caused a temporary delay in the action.
The delay happened in the eighth inning, long after Colby Lewis left the field, which is very good news for the pigeons. They basically marched right up to the pitcher’s mound, and had they walked on the mound, it would have been a violation of one of baseball’s most famous unwritten rules.
Remember the Dallas Braden-Alex Rodriguez fiasco from a few years ago?
There was no repeat of that, but the pigeons did seem to overstay their welcome rather quickly, at least in the eyes of Rangers players. Pitcher Roman Mendez appeared poised to bombard them with the rosin bag, and then third baseman Adrian Beltre took charge and shooed them away much the same way he chases off teammate Elvis Andrus when he tries to touch his head.crowd didn’t really appreciate Beltre ending the impromptu entertainment, but at least the game was able to continue as the pigeons reluctantly relocated into foul territory on the first base line. They would remain in that general vicinity for most of the final inning, and thankfully neither of them met their maker like the unfortunate bird who once crossed Randy Johnson’s fastball.
See, Beltre was just taking the best interest of the pigeons to heart. You might even call him a hero to the pigeon community.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 9, 2014 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
Mike Tyson may have found peace in the company of pigeons but in Howrah, a dispute over possession of a bird spurred a 48-year-old man to punch his best friend to death on Sunday evening.
Nageswar Rai kept punching his long-time friend and neighbour Navraj Singh, 50, in the face and body till he collapsed on the pavement in Round Tank Lane, say police.
Singh was taken to hospital where he died early on Monday. Doctors suspect the barrage of punches damaged his vital organs. Rai is absconding.
Singh was an employee in the conservancy department of Howrah Municipal Corporation. On Sunday evening, he returned to home clutching a ‘lotan’ pigeon (known in Bengali as ‘noton payra’). Everyone knew that Singh has a soft corner for animals and birds.
The first thing he did was to call out to his old buddy Rai. The two began to admire the bird’s qualities. After a while, Rai asked Singh to give the pigeon to him, saying it would be better off in his care.
Rai also warned Singh that stray cats may get to the bird if he insisted on keeping it. An argument ensued after which Rai allegedly attempted to snatch the bird from Singh’s hands.
In the scuffle that followed, the pigeon flew off. An enraged Singh turned on Rai, accusing him for the loss.
Within minutes, the two men were at each other’s throats, say police. Rai, a hawker, threw a flurry of punches and fled as Singh slumped to the ground. Singh’s family members helped him inside the house.
Later in the evening, he started complaining of discomfort and was moved to Howrah district hospital where he died early in the morning. The body has been sent for autopsy.
But what was so unique about this pigeon?
“The uniqueness of this bird is that if shaken slightly and kept on the ground, it starts doing rolls. The only way to stop the rolling is to pick up the bird and blow into its mouth. These birds cost Rs 2,000-2,500 each,” said Joydip Chatterjee of Chatterjee Pet House in Ashoknagar.
The neighbourhood is shocked by Singh’s death. His wife Saro Devi lodged a complaint with police, accusing Rai, following which he was charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, said Howrah OC Tathagata Pande.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 9, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Outside, it looks like a medieval German castle.
Inside? It’s more post-industrial dungeon.
Built in 1913, the former Molson brewery at 121 Street, just north of 104th Avenue, towers over its neighbours, marking the border between Oliver and Westmount. From the outside, it’s truly majestic. The interior? It’s a true mess.
Broken windows have allowed in rain and snow and pigeons. The metal stairs are coated with bird droppings and broken eggs. Squatters have left behind evidence of occupation, from fast-food wrappers to graffiti on the walls.
A red fist. A huge weeping eye. A happy blue space alien.
“Art is not a crime,” reads one tag.
“Nothing lasts forever,” reads another.
First Capital Realty and Sun Life face a huge challenge in salvaging the tower.
There’s no easy way to remove the 59 giant metal tanks and the elaborate hops chutes Molson left behind in 2007. There’s no door large enough. The largest tank is 14 feet, or 4.3 metres tall, and holds almost 100,000 litres. The only solution is to cut them up into smaller chunks.
The narrow metal stairs are a safety code inspector’s nightmare. Architects plan to build a stairway and elevator shaft along the outside of the building. Plumbing, lighting, heating and air conditioning will be another huge expense.
On the main floor, there’s one big open span of 6,200 sq. feet or 576 sq. metres, which could make an amazing restaurant or bar.
But as the tower rises, floor plates get smaller: the fourth level is just 2,300 sq. feet or 214 sq. metres.
Because some ceilings are 20 ft. or six metres high, a tower as tall as a conventional nine-storey building has only four floors. It can probably only hold three or four office suites.
They’d be amazingly hip offices.
But revenues from three offices and one restaurant won’t bring this structure back to life and up to code. The City of Edmonton’s entire heritage restoration budget couldn’t retrofit the tower.
Yet this building is too remarkable to lose. Wading through pigeon poop in steel-toed boots, I’m awed by the workmanship of the brick walls, a foot-and-a-half thick, by the grandeur of the high ceilings. I’m humbled by the history, labour and ambition this mighty tower represents, built without modern cranes, red brick hand-layered atop brick. It was the tallest structure in Edmonton, until the McLeod Building surpassed it in 1915. Even now, it remains an Edmonton landmark.
From the roof, you look straight north, up the bike trail and linear park that runs north behind 122 St. Southwest is West Edmonton Mall. Northeast you see Commonwealth Stadium.
Down below is the 5.7 hectare dried mud flat that First Capital and Sun Life intend to turn into a shopping plaza with 580 underground parking spots.
Oliver neighbours, and fans of urban design, have loudly protested the prospect of another suburban-style strip mall, like an Oliver Square 2.0.
But standing atop the tower, I feel some niggling sympathy with the developers. They absolutely need to maximize revenues from the development of this site, to have any chance to save the tower.
That said, Alberta Culture declared the site of provincial historical significance back in 2009, which froze all demolition, pending possible formal heritage designation. When the developers acquired the land in 2013, they knew about that moratorium. They knew they were going to be custodians of an important architectural artifact. If they weren’t prepared for that responsibility — including keeping out the pigeons — they needn’t have bought the property.
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