Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: June 25, 2009 6:00 PM
The spraying of pesticides is continuing in Vernon for the time being. Council has delayed a request from a June 8 delegation, consisting of Kerry Bokenfohr of Parents for Healthy Playspaces, and Jerilynn Kiely of the Canadian Cancer Society, to speed up council’s plan to draft a bylaw that would ban cosmetic pesticides on public land in 2010, and on private property in 2012. Kim Flick, manager of planning, said the city isn’t in a position to consider an earlier shutdown of pesticide use. “A ban on cosmetic pesticide use can’t simply happen in and of itself without all the number of other integrated pest management stakeholders and other preparatory work required to support an environment that minimizes the use of cosmetic pesticides,” said Flick. Bokennfohr and Kiely had asked council to prohibit the cosmetic pesticide applications scheduled for this month for Vernon sidewalk cracks, boulevards, alleys, signposts and front borders of homeowner properties, and spraying on playgrounds, playing fields and schoolyards through August.
Bokenfohr said earlier that pesticides used to control weeds are creating health risks, and said citizens are “the guinea pigs in this massive uncontrolled experiment.” Coun. Buffy Baumbrough said the 2010 date was selected so operational issues could be addressed .A number of public lands fall under the umbrella of the Vernon School District and Greater Vernon Advisory Committee.
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