Onepoto Park

Denise from Birkenhead

A month ago I witnessed a huge drum of chemicals on the back of a boat being sprayed deep into the water for apparently to remove the algae, I asked the co worker why he would do this and I had hoped it would not upset the 60-80 ducks that live on the water, he said they would have to drink a lot of water to be affected. I said "well, what else do they drink!" I told him I rescued ducks and place them into this pond when they are well enough and always in small groups so they have an adopted family of their own and not be lonely.
Since this I have witnessed the duck life very sick and dying, their feathers are falling off their wee bodies and they are trying to swim without feathers and eventually die...I am so upset witnessing this and every week there are fewer ducks, On Tuesday I only saw 10 ducks.
The regular lawn mower man for this park said he is very concerned as he and I felt it like a ghost pond as their were none in sight ! I feed all birdlife once a week here and the birds are always waiting for my visit. Usually 100-200 including pigeons, seagulls, pukeko's sparrow and ducks. Even the Pukeko's are missing, yes you may well say they have flew off somewhere but I have been frequenting this park and others for the past 15 months and never seen it so empty for this time of the year.... the council are accepting no liability and I am helpless to know where to take this further. I have witnesses and the lawn mower man says the pond was always clear years ago and he can't understand why it is so bad... the bridge has been blocked off underneath and the filth is disgusting and this is where some of the dead birds have been found. The chemicals are not making it better and my question is, why can't it be kept clean in an organic way and build the pond life with healthy plants to nourish the growth and feed the birdlife.