THE RECORD

August 26, 1998

Suzanne Trevis

When I was a kid growing up in the Old Trailer Court it was no big deal, in fact it was expected come the summer months, to find bears coming over the hill from the garbage dump. In those days only a stones throw from our back door, it seemed. They'd be looking for an evening snack, or who knows, a good game of kick the can. They would have fit right in raiding gardens with us in the late evening gloom. It was a way of life.

I had a healthy respect for bears. And God knows I had my share of nightmares. But it never stopped us from doing anything and I don't remember it being a particularly big problem. You stayed out of their way, they mostly stayed out of yours. We all remember someone's mom chasing one down the road with a broom.

During those late evening games of hide and seek on the back lot you'd keep half an eye out for those who were hiding (or seeking) and half an eye for any likely stumps that could be teddies (the ones with ears). The trees in those days were a lot shorter.

Now after a generation of taking visiting relatives down to the local "zoo" to see the wildlife, perspective seems to have shifted. People seem to like them there to go and look at, even take pride in it with outsiders, but there is a definite line there that the bears are not supposed to cross. The only problem is, no one told the bears.

The answer is not to reopen the landfill. If cousin Joey from Topeka wants to see the local wildlife he's going to have to hike out and find it like everyone else. But it is going to take some time, generations perhaps, before the bears learn to fend for themselves in normal bear ways. In the meantime we all have to learn to live with them.

I had a difficult time this last few weeks as I believe the bears have a right to be here. Lets face it, we are responsible for bringing them down here in the first place by condoning the zoo atmosphere for so long. I know the village has tried to discourage it for many years with little success, but lets face it, how many regular folks got a big kick out of being able to drive down and see them. People would actually complain if there were none around.

I myself think it's great that my children are growing up somewhere where on the scenic route to school we have seen bears fishing their breakfast out of the river, Momma deer with babies going down for a drink, countless eagles swooping in to catch fish from the river to mention only a few.

When the bears first started to make a regular appearance back in July, I didn't even phone it in, even though I was pretty sure they were visiting my backyard on a regular basis. It was only when they started showing up during the middle of the day, that it became a real concern.

I don't like the idea that because he made a tactical error in when to visit, he gets capital punishment. I was very upset when they did finally catch one fellow in my driveway, only to let him sit in the trap for twelve hours. Half of this was in 95 degree weather which I guess they figure was okay as when Conservation did finally show up they took him down and shot him.

I know the pro's and con's and I have children of my own . I will still think twice before I call again as I found this reprehensible even if the poor thing was slated for the long sleep.

My own kids don't have half the zest for adventure that my brother and I did at their age. I know the furthest they will travel from home has to involve a stop at either a grandma's or a corner store, which in Gold River kind of limits you to certain areas. Despite the fact that we have numerous trails through the bush adjacent to our own back yard and for quite some distance around they would not consider going without Mom or Dad. We used to wander all over the valley. Trails or no trails, bears and other wildlife not withstanding.

I'm not sure how much of this is lack of initiative and how much is a fear of what might be out there, but even if you suggest they take the dog, they'll usually find something else to do. It's a shame, growing up with this "new perspective" they don't know what they're missing.