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 9, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
RATS, mice and pigeons are becoming a “growing problem” in Chester, the council has warned.
Signs are now being put up urging people not to feed birds, as bread, seeds and other treats have been attracting vermin.
Cheshire West and Chester Council says it has received numerous complaints about rats, mice and bird droppings around homes, parks and paths, mainly in the canalside area.
As well as the signs, community safety wardens will also patrol certain areas and could even hand out £75 littering fines to people feeding birds.
Councillor Bob Rudd said: “We are certainly not proposing to take action against people who feed small amounts of seed or bread to ducks or wild birds. The problem is with a minority of people who leave excessive amounts of food. We hope these signs will be an effective deterrent and there will be no need to issue any fines.
“Our aim is to encourage people to think about the impact of their actions on residents, as well as the impression it gives visitors to our city.”
The signs will be installed at points along Whipcord Lane, Seller Street and the canal side of Leadworks Lane.
Garden Quarter resident Maureen Crook, who raised the issue at a recent local councillor’s surgery, said: “Since we moved here 12 years ago we’ve seen much improvement to the area around the canal and Water Tower Gardens. But it only takes one individual leaving food out for birds to ruin these public areas, as the food was attracting rats and excessive amounts of pigeons.
“After reporting the issue I’m pleased to say that the feeding stopped and I can enjoy taking my grandchildren to play on the park in the area again.”
As well as being unsightly, bird droppings corrode stonework and damage buildings.
Droppings on pavements can become slippery when wet, posing a safety hazard, while droppings, nest material and dead birds can block guttering and drains.
Councillor Lynn Riley, executive member for localities, said: “The local community have worked with the council to come up with some practical and pragmatic solutions to a long-standing problem with pigeons.
“There are ways and places to feed birds that don’t encourage rats and vermin in residential areas and we would encourage people to look at advice from some of the many wildlife charities and organisations.
“To avoid attracting unwanted pests, any leftover food waste should be cleaned up, bagged and placed in a suitable waste container.”
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
First, I would think the city has more important things to worry about than banning pigeon feeding. I personally enjoy feeding pigeons, but I can see where having too many would be a problem. There have been pigeons in America’s cities since our ancestors brought them from Europe, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing if you keep the population in check.
If we really want to get the numbers down, there’s a company by the name of Innolytics (ovocontrol.com) that produces a product called OvoControl, which is “Ready-to-use birth control kibbles for pigeons” and has been used successfully in other cities.
However, just outright banning of feeding is cruel to the pigeons; despite the wayward french fry or hamburger bun that they may find, pigeons that rely on feedings will starve a long slow death. In a city as big and diverse as ours, we should be able to find at least a couple of places where pigeons can be fed without causing so much squawking.
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 8, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Sunday and Monday I had the doses of chemotherapy that would completely destroy my immune system. Again, that is something I thought would register physically, where I’d think, “Wow. So this is what it feels to be completely vulnerable to any sort of infection.” Again, I was wrong. Other than a slight increase of nausea… bupkus.
Tuesday was what they call around here my new birthday. My stem cells were reintroduced to my system through an IV drip. For such a major event in my life, it didn’t seem like much, but, of course, it was. It really meant turning the corner and getting back to being healthier.
I did feel sorry for my day nurse, who had to stand — no sitting allowed — and study the IV, just in case, for more than an hour. But all went well, and he finally got to sit down, I assume. No one here seems to sit down much, at least not that I get to see.
I am isolated, other than staff and my wife, Sheri, who come in, but always masked, so I see just their eyes, forehead and hair. At times, it looks like bank robbers left their convention early to avoid traffic. The last couple of days, I’ve been able to walk around the pod outside the door, as long as I wear gloves and a mask. Believe me, it’s a lot more exciting than it sounds.
Let’s see, what else has been going on. Sheri finally buzzed off the rest of my hair and beard yesterday. It seems OK to me. I have to be careful, though, because when I run my hand across my head to fix my non-existent hair, my hand goes flying off the back. Even that’s OK as long as Sheri isn’t right behind me and gets a poke in the eye. Today, I’m sharing my new Yul Brenner look with you, especially those who watch “Hoarders” just so you can look around your house and say, “Hey. This isn’t so bad.”
The two pigeons who have been hanging around outside my window for the past couple of days appear to be getting ready to fulfill their part of the “Birds do it, bees do it” equation. They are the only other living creatures I see on any sort of regular basis, so I’m quite happy for them. Hey, don’t even think about judging me. If you were watching it on PBS you would be falling all over yourself to get to a phone to renew your subscription or make a pledge.
Right now, my biggest enemy is boredom, which you probably could tell. There is a TV; I have my computer, Nook and iPod, but sometimes it’s just hard to focus, let alone sit up and do something. Sheri comes every day, for a few hours, and it’s nice to have her here, but it leaves a lot of other empty hours to fill. Staffers stay and talk if they have the time, and I try to do little spurts of stuff and then rest.
I talk to my daughters Jennifer and Alison each day. I know it helps them to hear my voice and know that I really am doing quite well. I can write and text anything, but when they hear it in my voice, they know it’s real, whatever “it” might be.
I do have a couple of difficult stretches ahead. My white blood cell count continues to drop, which is a good thing because it means the chemo is working, but it also means I will be really, really tired and have some other side issues to deal with, including a high temperature. But the allergy team has already been in and determined the best antibiotic to knock down any fever, and there are plenty of measures the staff can take to help counter other symptoms. I admit I really have become quite the chicken about feeling sick. I hate it, but the anti-nausea medications really help.
Still, I feel better than I did, for now, and frankly, at this stage, that’s more than good enough. We’ll see what happens next. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to write again, but it helps me a lot, so I will do my best.
For now, I have some pigeon watching to do.
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 8, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeons in the News
A Royal Marine bit the head off a pigeon during an all-day drinking session, a court has heard.
Commando Adam Karmali, 33, sunk his teeth into the bird as he drank lager with friends near the banks of the River Taff in Bute Park, Cardiff.
He was caught after police carried out forensic tests on the headless pigeon’s body – and discovered his DNA on its neck.
Now, the soldier has been handed a 12-month community order after admitting a charge of ‘not taking all reasonable steps to ensure the needs of an animal he was responsible for were met’.
Karmali, who lives in Wimborne, Dorset, had been visiting the Welsh capital with friends when he captured the pigeon in the park, Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard.
He then posed for pictures with the live bird’s head in his mouth, before biting it off and spitting it on to the ground.
A female passerby was so horrified that she phoned police, who arrived to find the headless pigeon lying in the grass, the court heard.
Officers later carried out forensic tests on the pigeon – and discovered Karmali’s DNA on teethmarks around the bird’s neck.
Mike Curry, prosecuting, said: ‘This was a sickening offence carried out while drunk.
‘Karmali captured a pigeon and put it in his mouth and as the group took pictures he bit its head off.
‘A witness was so appalled police were contacted, the remains were recovered and a DNA match was discovered which led him to being arrested.’
When interviewed by police, Karmali told officers he had drunk around 20 cans of lager and had thought it was a ‘prank’ at the time.
‘Sickening offence’: Karmali (left) sunk his teeth into the bird (file picture, right) as he drank lager with friends near the banks of the River Taff in Bute Park, Cardiff. He was caught after police discovered his DNA on its body
Monique McKevitt, defending, said that biting the head off a pigeon was ‘clearly an unacceptable and repulsive act’.
But she said that Karmali faced being expelled out of the forces if he was given a prison sentence for the crime.
‘There will be internal disciplinary procedures not only for the act itself but for bringing the Royal Marines reputation into disrepute,’ she said.
Sentenced: After capturing the pigeon in the park, the soldier posed for photos with the live bird’s head, before biting it off and spitting it on to the ground. Above, Karmali is pictured with a shark in Australia two years ago
‘He would never normally behave that way and he feels extreme remorse and shame.’
Magistrates’ panel chairman Robert Cozens told Karmali that biting the head off a pigeon was punishable by prison.
However, he agreed that the Commando should be spared jail because it would end his career.
Sentencing Karmali, Mr Cozens told him: ‘We have taken great consideration over this and we consider the serious and pretty awful offence as having passed the custody threshold.
Guilty: He has now been handed a 12-month community order and told to complete 150 hours’ unpaid work
‘However, we have heard from your Captain you have a good military record and that this is out of character.
‘Because of your early guilty plea and the remorse you have shown we have brought your sentence down a level.’
Karmali was also ordered to complete 150 hours’ unpaid work.
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)
Mayor Jim Gray temporarily suspended the Rupp Arena project in June.
