Weeds To Be Cleared At Ball Parks

Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM  Friday, 09 March 2012 13:19 
  It seems Coldstream's no chemical policy will not apply to a couple of regional sports facilities in the municipality.  The ball diamonds in Creekside Park have had problems with excess weeds the last couple years, so much so that league officials deemed then unusable.  Following discussion of the issue at the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee meeting Thursday, Regional District of North Okanagan administrator Trafford Hall says the plan is to restore the diamonds this spring at a cost of $3,000, and then use a Round-Up like chemical to control the weeds.  He tells Kiss FM, "Coldstream has said it must be federally approved and it must be organic. Most of the common herbicides and pesticides we've been using and in the agricultural community, these things are used." Hall says the Round-up like chemical used on local playing fields are federally-approved and, according to some experts, organic. "We'll be doing in Coldstream what we're doing in all other ball diamonds, so the people in Coldstream are not going to be treated any differently." Hall says if any one partner restricts any method of field maintenance, it will drive the cost up. Coldstream adopted a policy of no pesticide use on its public lands a few years ago. GVAC director Doug Dirk says he will take the issue to Coldstream council to get more clarification.