LEWISTON, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Town of Lewiston’s Recreation Department is going the extra mile to keep its parks tick-free this summer by closing them on rotation to professionally treat the area for ticks.
Both the CDC and Dr. Fauzia Khan with the Niagara County Department of Health agree that tick season is here, and these tiny parasites are a bit more common this year.
“Visits to the emergency room, they are higher than normal in many parts of the country,” Dr. Khan said. “Because of warmer weather, the ticks have more favorable conditions to breed and hatch.”
With that many ticks around, the Town of Lewiston Recreation Director Tim Smith tells me that he is temporarily closing parks throughout June to get rid of as many ticks as possible and to prevent their return.
“We are spraying just around the perimeter. A company comes in and does all of our parks; it is NYS DEC approved,” Smith said. “There is a 24-hour period for the chemicals to settle, so they are taking precautions, but we take an extra added precaution of closing our parks for 48 hours.”
Q: “Closing parks, why did you guys want to take such an aggressive approach to get rid of the ticks?”
Smith: “Because we want to protect our town of Lewiston residents…They are our priority, especially our children, and we’re just trying to protect them.”
WATCH: Town of Lewiston temporarily closing parks for tick treatment
Spraying will start at Kiwanis Park on June 13, then treatment will rotate to other parks throughout the month.
The full schedule was posted by the town on social media:
“Just two days and it’s not every park at the same time, so you’ll still be able to get outside and enjoy this nice weather too,” Smith said.
