Council gives OK to herbicides on Hwy medians
Mon, 2010-03-29 20:06.A bit of a battle of the sexes around Kelowna Council this week, as the members considered how to handle landscape medians on Highway 97.
Last year, WorkSafe BC deemed their maintenance practices unsafe for workers, and civic staff is currently working on a new median design to address those concerns. In the meantime, staff suggested getting a licensed applicator to spray herbicides to control the weeds - a move that would be permitted under the City's Cosmetic Pesticide Bylaw.
But City Councillor Angela Reid was strongly opposed:
"There's no filtration on the roads for run-off. It's going straight into our lake when it rains or when the streets are washed. The water goes straight into our lakes without any real treatment."
City Councillor Michele Rule agrees:
"We want the boulevards to look nice, and we want our workers to be safe. But we want our workers to stay safe. Angela's exactly right - we're supposed to be the leaders in this."
Mayor Sharon Shepherd chimed in, saying, "I would not agree with the cosmetic use of herbicides on the medians. We tell the community that they can't do that - we're encouraging them to not. I agree with the Councillors that say we should be leaders in this."
But the male Council members defeated them with a 5-3 vote.
Denise Wong - Kelowna
http://www.am1150.ca/news/565/1108492
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