July 19, 2012

Bear Smart Statue

Residents may have noticed a metal bear silhouette against the wall near the entrance to our Village plaza.  This placement is temporary for the Lions Bay Bear Smart commemorative statue.  The original design had the statue mounted on a moss covered concrete pad with greenery as a backdrop outside the Village Office/Hall.  Upcoming renovations necessitated an alternate plan. The statue will eventually be moved to the renovated Village Administration Building, but for now it will be displayed at the plaza.  The bear shape looks nice against the rock wall, and there may be many options for placement around the new building. 

Now is the time of year when bears become active and there have already been sightings close to the village.

Please help to keep our village safe and our bears in the wild by following these basic rules, which discourage bears from approaching areas of human habitation:-

-          Store garbage in a secure building or bear-proof garbage container

-          Garbage put out for collection must be placed in a container with a tight-fitting lid

-          Put out garbage on the morning of pick-up only – the Village has a bylaw which prohibits garbage being put out earlier than the morning of pick-up and enforcement checks are regularly undertaken

-          Keep barbeques clean and grease free; do not leave food unattended

-          Remove bird feeders between April and November

-          Remove outdoor freezers

-          Feed pets indoors

-          Put away all petroleum products including rubber, tarpaper, paint and charcoal fluid

-          Sprinkle compost with lime to decrease odours.  Do not compost fruit or eggshells in the summer or fall.

For more information on how to ensure bears stay in the wild, and how to react if you encounter a bear, please pick up a leaflet from the Village Office or visit www.env.gov.bc.ca/wild/bearsmart/bearsmintro.html

To report any wildlife-human interactions where public safety may be at risk, call Conservation Officer Services on 1-877-952-7277