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 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
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 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.
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 Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
A suite of four canvases filled with nothing but pigeon droppings by Dan Colen, another popular American artist, also brought a strong price. David Mugrabi, a New York art dealer, bought the work for $545,000, in the middle of its $400,000 to $600,000 estimate.
A screenshot of the auction results for Dan Colen’s Untitled, 2006-07I didn’t come across this bit of news while actually reading the New York Times. It was shared on Facebook by a painter friend who posted it along with only the briefest commentary: “The art market, jesus.”
I feel for Carol Vogel who has to report auction results like this one with a straight face. By the way Carol, there were five pigeon shit covered canvases in the lot, not four, so maybe editorial oversight at the New York Times isn’t what it used to be. Is a correction forthcoming?
The real commentary these days happens on blogs and social media sites — Facebook and Twitter — where there are no editors to vet content for accuracy and no advertisers (i.e. auction houses or art dealers) who might be offended. I certainly enjoy being able to say what I think about art here on The Huffington Post where the advertisers for laser eye-bag removal haven’t yet objected to anything I have said.
At any rate, the news of this $545k birddoggle got 49 shares just on my friend’s page and when I re-posted it there were some pretty good quips. “Well…it’s not bullshit” was one.
The way I understand Colen’s “success” is that it is a social phenomenon, not an aesthetic one. For decades now one of the most common accolades given to artists has been that he or she is “pushing boundaries.” Never mind that there are almost no boundaries left: if you can find one — for example, the idea that art shouldn’t just be pigeon poop — then you have a created a binary situation. There are going to be those who are appalled and who shake their head at how awful your art is and there are going to be those that say “Hey, this is amazing.” In a 2010 interview Colen spelled this situation out quite clearly:
“It’s such a paradox. You come from this place where you want fame; you don’t want to be bourgeois, but you want to be successful. You want to be accepted, but you also want to be going against the grain. You want to be on the outside, but you want to be on the inside.”
Exactly. if your reaction to Colen’s “Untitled” is “Ewww… I wonder if his canvases could transmit ocular histoplasmosis?” you are bourgeois. Well, or you are an art restorer worried that you may be called to the Hamptons to re-glue some wayward shit onto one of these next season…
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)
The following questions were asked recently on the Wonderline:
