Council invests in goose droppings sweeper to combat messy paths

Jack Salmons walks his dogs along the riverfront almost everyday. He enjoys the scenic view but not stepping through the mess left behind by all the geese.

"It's nasty, it's disgusting," he said, also noting he worries about his dogs' health as they mistake the poop for a delicacy.

But his frustrations might get swept away. Windsor city council has invested in a solution.

Councillors voted to approve funding for a $75,000 goose dropping sweeper. The sweeper will be used to brush poop off paths predominantly on the riverfront.

"It is a very challenging issue to deal with … This is an issue that is not just in Windsor but across the country so we are talking a smell step just to try to help," said Jan Wilson, executive director of Recreation & Culture for the City of Windsor.

• Goose droppings and construction leave riverfront visitors scratching their heads and scraping their shoe

• Council looks to solve Windsor's goose droppings problem

The sweeper will look like a tractor with a manoeuvrable, front-mounted sweeper. The machinery will spray water onto the pavement and the sweeper will clear it to the side of the path.

Sweeper won't remove the poop

"It doesn't actually pick it up, it will still be in the park but it will at least remove it from the pathways so it is a little bit easier to remove it from the park," Wilson said.

He added it would be a challenge to clean goose poop all over the city because the sweeper is not easily moved. The machinery will primarily be used at the riverfront, where the city receives the most amount of complaints.

Salmons says he believes this will be a positive change for the riverfront.

"I have talked about it before because I have seen it in other cities, they do it. I always say to my friends, 'why don't they do it down there,' it's supposed to be a tourist area," said Salmons.

Wilson says the sweeper is in the process of being purchased, she is hoping it will get used within the next few weeks.

"I hope [people] will be happier, it definitely is not going to solve the issue, it's not going to take it away, it is just a stop-gap measure to enjoy the parks a little bit more," she said.