Public Service Announcement

Notice for Visitors to Admiral’s Cove Park, Bedford

(Wednesday, June 9, 2010) – To assist with the control of the presence of Blacklegged Ticks in Admirals Cove Park, HRM is using the services of Braemar Pest Control to apply a pesticide known as Dragnet to the high risk areas in the park.

The application will be done on first week of July 2010, weather dependant, and visitors to the park will be well-informed by signage when the application process is underway and completed. During the spraying, access to the park will be restricted. HRM will also place temporary signage to alert visitors to the use of the spray in the area.

The treatments are expected to be done now and again in the fall to high risk areas such as the heavy foliage along the main pathways into the park and the HRM property that is adjacent to residences identified as high risk. Each treatment will cost $7,500 for a total of $15,000 this year.

It is important to note that this measure will not eradicate the ticks from the area. Because they become attached to wildlife such as deer, raccoons, dogs, mice, birds and others, they will travel. This action is being taken because Lyme disease, while treatable, it is a serious condition. HRM residents have been affected, some seriously.

The municipality is determined to do what it can to mitigate that exposure to visitors. In addition to continued awareness and education measures and the spray program, HRM is working with the provincial and federal governments to move along the study on Deer Bait Stations – another tool to help control the tick numbers - to hopefully have it in place in Fall 2010. For more details visit: www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/cdpc/lyme.asp.

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Contact:

Shaune MacKinlay
HRM Public Affairs
902-490-6531

Richard MacLellan, Manager
Sustainable Environment Management Office
902-490-6056