Winnipeg athletic fields may need to be shut down due to burrowing squirrels

Squirrels are free to keep tunnelling through Winnipeg fields, much to the detriment of groundskeepers and city council alike.

At its Friday meeting, the city’s community services committee learned the province’s recent decision to deny the city a permit to use sulphur gas to control squirrel populations marked the first time one of its pesticide applications was given the red light.

“The province said we didn’t consider alternatives enough,” said David Domke, parks and open space manager with the city.

The city wanted to use the pesticide, called Giant Destroyer, to eradicate ground squirrels from a number of Winnipeg athletic fields, which it said pose a safety risk through the tunnels they create.

City officials told the committee they have continued to research what can be done to stop the rodents from burrowing any more.

“We have to deal with it because there are fields that we are looking at closing down right now,” Domke said, noting Fairgrove Park specifically will need to be shut down due to the chasms.

He added the city shouldn’t bother to appeal, since little can be done to control the animal at this time of year, as the males are now hibernating.

However, the females will be active until July.

The city had previously used a coagulant poison to control squirrel populations, but it was suspended in 2014 due to safety concerns surrounding dogs and birds of prey.

- With files from CTV’s Jon Hendricks and Charles Lefebvre