Coyote decoys won’t return to Waterloo Park

A coyote decoy, aimed at scaring away geese, is seen in Waterloo Park on April 18, 2024. (Chris Thomson/CTV Kitchener)

Plastic coyotes have gone missing from Waterloo Park but this time it’s not because someone stole them.

The city placed 10 decoys around the park last April in hopes of keeping the geese – and the mess they create – away from popular pedestrian areas.

geese coyote The City of Barrie is using coyote decoys along the waterfront to try to scare off the geese and the droppings they leave behind. (K.C. Colby / CTV Barrie)

The experiment was relatively low-cost. According to the city’s manager of park operations, the decoys cost about $100 each.

Then, within a month of their introduction, eight of the plastic coyotes went missing.

Coyote decoy at Waterloo Park A new goose deterrent stands guard at Waterloo Park as the city tries to keep the bird off popular walkways. (Spencer Turcotte/CTV News)

At the time, the city told CTV News they would review the results of the pilot project before making a decision on their next steps.

On Thursday, they confirmed the decoys would not return to Waterloo Park. The city said the parks department was looking at other goose management options and they would share details of the plan in the coming weeks.