Bees, wasps to blame for wading pool closure

There’s a buzz at the Braeside Park wading pool and it’s not the sound of kids splashing around.

The Elmwood area aquatic facility was shut down after the city discovered a wasp nest and leafcutter bees in and around a maintenance building near the wading pool.

The temporary closure means families in the neighbourhood have one less place to beat the heat.

“It’s really nice to have such a close little area for the kids to come cool down in the summer, especially with the weather we’ve been having,” resident Nicholas Scanlan told CTV News. “So with it being closed, it’s just one less thing for us to do within walking distance.”

In an email to CTV News, the city confirmed it found and treated a yellowjacket wasp nest near the pool. While crews wait to see if the treatment worked, they are also on the lookout for leafcutter bees.

“I’m not too concerned about the bees per se,” Scanlan said. “But again, I’m glad that they did their due diligence and protected the bees and the kids.”

Jason Gibbs, an associate professor at the University of Manitoba’s entomology department, said leafcutter bees are relatively harmless.

“They’re not aggressive, they don’t defend their nest,” Gibbs explained. “And so it’s actually extremely difficult to get stung by a leafcutter bee.”

Meantime, Elmwood Coun. Jason Schreyer said he’s asking the city to put up signs to keep community members informed during the closure.

“They are going to put this on their website and I’ve asked them to put that information on signage right on this fence here at Braeside,” Schreyer told CTV News. “And I believe at this point, this is the best they can do.”

While the Braeside Park wading pool sits empty, Shreyer said the one at Morse Park Community Centre – about a 15-minute walk away – is fully functional and open to the public all week long.