Duck Poop at Lakeshore Park

Lately I’ve been running at the Lake (just don’t have time for my favorite Coyote Hills runs these days). Recently, while running at the Lake, I was stopped by three older ladies. Two sat on the bench nearby the parking lot while the other stood steadfast next to them as her dog tried hopelessly to get away. I was really not in the mood for gossip because I was on mile 1 of 4, and the first mile is always the hardest; but, they seemed displeased, and I thought a simple smile would do some good.

Ladies: ”What do you think of the Lake’s landscaping?”
Me: “What do you mean?” [puzzled look on my face and gasping for air].
Ladies: “You must be new.”
Me: “Sorta, I guess. I’ve lived here for 12+ years.” [still trying to catch my breath]
Ladies: “The city is supposed to contain the ducks.”
Me: ”Really, is there a city that has been successful at such a feat?” [Oh, wait, this must be that ”Geese Deterrent Landscaping at Lakeshore Park” project that I read about in the 2014-2016 Biennial Budget (PDF page 195), I thought.]
Ladies: ”Well, the small ducks have learned to jump over.” [Now I’m really confused.]

I don’t know much about this duck containment project beyond what’s in the budget. Frankly, I can’t find much information about a lot of subjects on the city’s website. Nonetheless, I think the ladies’ point was that they feel the landscaping needs improvements and they’re tired of stepping in duck poop.

My husband and I are a bunch of freeloaders: we live off McDonald—we get all the wonderful amenities of the Lake without the utility bill. So, if you live in the Lake, I’d like to personally say that I love your community—and the ducks that poop there. I especially like those stocky redheaded ducks. They make me smile, and my son laugh. I like to watch the late-night fishermen cast their lines, then wait patiently from their lawn chairs. I also like to watch those two guys that navigate their remote control motor boats across the Lake (fascinating!). Occasionally I even take my Old Town canoe out on the water. More than anything, I like to walk there. I always bump into someone I know.

There’s really no reason to be ashamed of the poop. They’re just ducks. I certainly don’t look down on your neighborhood for the ”mess.” It’s an ecosystem. Maybe because I have 5 chickens, and duck poop is no match for chicken poop. Besides, I don’t wear shoes in the house and don’t mind hosing down my kid’s sneakers and scooter.

However, residents deserve to be proud of their neighborhoods. So, I have an idea. Let’s all volunteer to round up some of the city’s mulch to replace the worn out lawn, or what remains of it, at the Lake (the city’s tree removal contractor is quite busy these days, so there’s plenty of supply). While we’re at it, maybe let’s pressure wash the loop: it might even be a blast (no pun intended). It could be a monthly, community building event run by LARA.

And, if we want to spruce things up with some drought-tolerant plants, we can use one valuable source of native plants just around the corner: the Native Plants Nursery, which is located at Don Edward and is run by two women, June and Becky. Their plants are dirt-cheap! Also, they give free, hands-on training to volunteers on how to germinate seeds, propagate cuttings from native plants, transplant seedlings, and lots more. Let’s just start with a couple of native plants at the Lake. Now’s the season!

Some Lake residents tell me that they tried to plant some native plants, but the city forbid them because those plants weren’t on the list of ”approved” vegetation. Well, that was years ago and many dollars and droughts later, so maybe the city is more open to updating that list. Can’t hurt to try again.

If we’re planning on using Measure WW funds to contain ducks (and I really don’t know if we are), now we can re-purpose that money for a dog park, and make that fidgety dog and dog owner very happy. The other two ladies, I hope, were sold at pressure washer.

After we’re all done with the Lake neighborhood, let’s stroll on over to the railroad tracks beyond the Library; Baine Avenue is in need of some trash removal. Then, let’s take our newly acquired gardening skills and put them to use on a Demonstration Garden in Newark. I guess I just enjoy getting dirty, meeting my neighbors, and saving money to boot. Are you “in”?

Angela, Newark Resident

Facebook, Garden: Friends of Newark Demonstration Garden

Facebook, Trash: Newark Trash Pickup Crew

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Email: Angela at info@newarkparks.org