Duck Poop Park Letter

Your Voice: Fowl condition of 'Duck Poop Park' needs to change

On July 13, Wapato Park was closed to swimming again. Sometime early on July 16 a temporary sign was placed in front of Wapato Park on South 72nd Street. The sign said simply, "DUCK POOP PARK." The sign was removed sh

Several weeks ago, while driving past the park, a young friend of mine said, "Look, there's Duck Poop Park." We both got a good chuckle out of it. Having mentioned that incident to numerous friends and acquaintances, they have all said, "Oh, you must mean Wapato or that lake on 72nd Street."

The problem is nothing new. On July 10, 1942, an article in the local newspaper stated: "Probably closed for a period of 10 years or more due to unsanitary conditions, Wapato Lake, the only public swimming resort in the south end of the city, is a rather deserted spot these days"

Several years ago,(1981) the lake was drained completely in order to clean it up and repair the outlet on its north end. It was closed most of the summer, and the waterfowl left the area for greener pastures. The waterfowl population has increased dramatically since the reopening. It has resulted in a park that citizens cannot go to for even a picnic for fear of stepping or sitting in the obvious or being attacked by a flock of Canada geese or other waterfowl that are looking for a free hand out from the folks who think they are so cute.

In 1997, the lake was closed to swimming for the first time due to toxic algae. This year is has been closed due to "higher-than-normal levels of fecal coliform bacteria, which can cause gastrointestinal illness” (TNT, 7-14). The article also stated, "There’s a fairly good chance this could last throughout the summer" and that goose feces are believed to be the cause.

It just seems to me that rounding up all but a small gaggle of geese and ducks and taking the rest of them to greener pastures or maybe using a few .22 shells and feeding these fowl to the Tacoma Rescue Mission would be a much simpler and more cost-effective solution to this unsanitary problem than the alternative of leaving things as they are.

Tax money is paid for the upkeep of this park, and the citizens of this area should be able to use the park for whatever legal reasons they want, summer or winter. If there are some folks who have a problem with this type of solution, let them take the majority of these cute little creatures home, clip one wing and take care of them. This would allow the majority of folks in this area to get their park back for full use.

Maybe there is someone in the park district who cares enough and has the authority and intestinal fortitude to solve this problem. I am confident the people in this area would be happy to call our park by its rightful name instead of "Duck Poop Park."

Wally Giffin is a Tacoma Resident

The Duck Poop Park Letter

Published in the Tacoma News Tribune Sunday, July 19, 1998 TEN YEARS AGO

The above letter was published nine years ago this July. It just happened to be published on one of the first really nice, warm Sundays that year and most folks went to grandma's house or got busy out in the yard instead of reading their newspaper.

There were one or two replies to the editor about the lake. I received two letters and one phone call at home thanking me for writing the article.

Other than that there has been nothing done that I know of and no reaction by any entity that could alleviate the problem.

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