By Pepper Parr
August 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
In an announcement sent out via Twitter the city administration said:
The city is reported to have purchased 12oo of thee whistles.
In light of recent coyote attacks in south-central and southeast Burlington, we are giving out coyote whistles to help you ‘haze’ coyotes you may encounter.
Ron Foxcroft, Centre with his son Ronnie and Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns with the Fox40 whistle.
The whistles are available, first come, first serve basis at:
Service Burlington, Sims Square, 390 Brant St., third floor
Nelson Recreation Centre, 4235 New St.
Burlington Public Library Branches:
Aldershot Branch, 550 Plains Rd. E.
Alton Branch, 3040 Tim Dobbie Dr.
Brant Hills Branch, 2255 Brant St. o
Central Branch, 2331 New St. o
Kilbride Branch, 6611 Panton St.
New Appleby Branch, 676 Appleby Line o
Tansley Woods Branch, 1996 Itabashi Way
That was it. For those who aren’t glued to Twitter – well they don’t know.
Something is seriously wrong in the Communications department if this is the best they can do to effectively communicate with a public that is asking a lot of questions. There will be a Staff report going to Council for a September 14th meeting.
UPDATE The city did send out a media release later in the day.
We are fortunate it’s an election year. I heard the mayor today on CHML describe the attack on the child. She seemed detached from how terrible it was. Action not a whistle is needed. Now.
Actually, Shawna Stolte sent out an e-mail message (via her newsletter) to her constituents (those on her list at least)…I for one received her notice.
Sad comment about society today, but even I have to wake up to the fact that twitter is a serious communication medium. And as I write that, I am reminded of my studies under Morris (Maurice actually), brother to Marshall McLuhan. (Who was happy to, not be in the limelight and described his brother as having a size 13 brain. Loved his Monte Carlo with the drivers seat that would swivel, making it so easy to get in and out.)
About the whistles…. Issue them to 3 and 4 year olds as they are the ones who will have to face down the attack. I hope the children learned lots at their hazing seminar.
What I really think about all this, is best spared on the liberal readers.
What is wrong with this city? Coyote whistles are the best solution they can come up with to a very serious problem. This is the one of the most ridiculous decisions to date.
The City Manager and Council Members are scheduled to meet with Stephen White and Julie Martin to discuss the report they had presented on the Coyote situation in Burlington. This meeting/solution should have happened immediately, instead a report is to come before council in mid September ( basically a report on a report).
It would have made more sense for the city to bring in experts immediately on how to deal with this situation and take immediate action and let the residents know how they were dealing with it. Clearing overgrown lots, tracking, trapping, or if necessary eliminating the coyotes.
No resident should feel that they cannot walk in public parks or walkways, or be safe in their fenced yards. Perhaps Burlington will become like areas in Toronto ( who have not dealt with this problem either) where people carry a golf club or a baseball bat when taking their pets out for a walk. Or, as someone told me ” a woman asked if she could stay on his front porch as a coyote was walking down the middle of the street in broad daylight. Not only did he agree, but he walked the woman down the street.” This should not be happening anywhere in the urban areas of Ontario.
This simplistic, dangerous approach by the city should not be retweeted by members of council. Councillors should be standing up and insisting that more be done to protect the residents of the wards they represent.
Disgraceful.
The city put a little red whistle in my mailbox a few years ago when we had several coyote attacks on Goodram Drive.