No swimming! Beaches in Moncton closed due to toxic algae
Friday, August 10, 2018, 9:55 AM - Blue-green algae contamination is cropping up in recreational waters across Moncton.
The latest spots to be affected are Mapleton Park Pond and Jones Lake.
Water at Centennial Pond was declared unsafe earlier in the week. The city said in the announcement that people should steer clear of the water and keep their dogs away as well.
(Related: Blue-green algae stinks up Toronto beaches)
The city found blue-green algae in the pond at Centennial Park, one of the city's major parks, on Tuesday.
At the city-run Centennial Camp, program director Sara Armstrong said Thursday that the kids aren't phased by the fact they can't go in the pond.
"Since the announcement, we've just stayed out of the water," Armstrong said. "We used that water for canoeing but since [then], we've just not been canoeing with our campers.
The camp also offers a rock wall, lots of games, songs, arts and crafts and outdoor cooking, she said.
BLAMES THE WEATHER
Three dogs in the Fredericton area have already died after coming in contact with blue-green algae, whose toxins attack the nervous system, liver and skin.
News of the blue-green algae in Moncton spread across the city and people have been avoiding the sites that have tested positive for it. Irishtown Reservoir is also closed.
Even Centennial Park, one of the major parks in Moncton, was quiet Thursday, when the city was being drenched.
A bloom of blue-green algae, shown by researchers near Edmonton. (University of Alberta)
Heather Fraser, the natural resources program co-ordinator for the City of Moncton, said water testing will continue and the city wants to solve the problem as soon as possible.
Fraser said the algae problem is a reflection of the weather this summer in New Brunswick.
The heat raises the water temperature and creates an environment where blue-green algae can thrive and bloom.
