Kanata residents have to pay for Kizell Pond mosquito fix, says Marianne Wilkinson
More than 300 Kanata residents have signed a petition asking the city to deal with a severe mosquito infestation, but the area's councillor says any solution will have to come out of the petitioners' pockets.
People living near Kizell Pond say they've tried using bug sprays, zappers, and draining pools of still water in their fight against hordes of mosquitoes that have made going outside nearly unbearable — but so far, nothing has worked.
"When you open your screen door or get out of your car, it's just instantly, you get a [swarm] of mosquitoes just attacking you," said Lianne Zhou, who started the petition.
"Our kids deserve to be able to play on the street, play in the park, like any other city community in the city of Ottawa."
'You're not alone'
Kanata North councillor Marianne Wilkinson acknowledged the residents' frustration over the infestation, but added that they'll have to pay for any solution themselves.
"There are a thousand other areas in this city that have pretty bad mosquito problems," Wilkinson told CBC Ottawa. "You're not alone."
Wilkinson is looking at introducing bats and dragonflies -- both of which eat mosquitoes -- into the Kizell Pond area, but she said the city's environmental staff aren't keen on interfering with the wetlands' ecosystem.
Officials with Ottawa Public Health said they only step in to deal with mosquito infestations when there's a chance West Nile virus is present.
