Less than two years after it opened in downtown Edmonton, the Hyatt Place hotel has been ordered by the province to deal with a pigeon infestation.
The 13-storey hotel at 9576 Jasper Ave., which opened in the fall of 2016, is the subject of a work order after failing an Environmental Public Health inspection.
The health inspection, completed August 24, found that the building has a problem with birds and water leaks.
The inspector found that nine heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units on the hotel rooftop were drawing air from a semi-enclosed space that was heavily infested with pigeons and littered with pigeon feces.
The heating and ventilation system did not appear to be in working order, the health inspection found. Carbon monoxide detectors in some areas were not calibrated.
Exterminators say pigeon infestations are a common problem in Edmonton’s commercial buildings. (cbc)
The inspection order calls on the owner to immediately begin repairs. HVAC units need to be cleaned, a pest control company needs to be hired and the water leaks must be addressed.
The names of the pest control company and cleaning contractor must be provided to health authorities. All repairs must be completed by the end of September. The hotel will remain operational during the repair work.
Alberta Health Services spokesperson Kerry Williamson declined to comment on the inspection report or the potential health impacts of a pigeon infestation.
Hotel owner Prem Singhmar has not yet responded to requests for an interview.
A populous pest
Mars Baldisimo, office manager with Pest Force, a company that specializes in commercial extermination jobs, said pigeon infestations are a common problem in the city’s commercial buildings.
A roost of the birds can quickly make a major mess, he said.
“The smells are pretty bad, especially if there is an accumulated amount of droppings,” Baldisimo said. “We’ve seen some pretty horrible ones.”
Some people are very sensitive to that smell and people can get sick.– Mars Baldisim
The natural acid in pigeon feces is extremely corrosive and can eat away construction materials and damage rooftop AC units. Caked on debris can quickly back up gutters and block ventilation systems.
The bacteria-laden droppings can also cause serious health problems, Baldisimo said.
“The longer the droppings are there, the harder it is to remove,” he said. “Some people are very sensitive to that smell, and people can get sick.”
Local exterminators say pigeons are a common problem in Edmonton’s commercial buildings — and once the pests decide to roost somewhere they can be nearly impossible to remove.
Derek Chester, who owns Responders Pest Control Company, said pigeon infestations are common in highrise buildings, where they can easily find secluded places to roost.
People’s first instinct is just to grab a pellet gun but that’s something you can’t do.-Derek Chester
There is no easy way to remove the birds, Chester said.
“Because they are protected, a lot of times people don’t even know where to start when it comes to pigeons,” Chester said. “People’s first instinct is just to grab a pellet gun but that’s something you can’t do.”
Under Alberta law, it’s illegal to kill pigeons. So exterminators use a variety of deterrents, such as spike pads or reflective tape to try to scare off the pests, he said.
Chemical-based animal repellents, cayenne pepper or a daily spray from a pressure hose often does the trick, he said.
“I would try a bunch of different things, because you never really know which one’s going to work,” he said.
“The best we can do is try to drive them off.”
Designed by Edmonton architect Gene Dub, with an estimated cost of $60 million, the Hyatt has 230 rooms, including 34 large suites. It has 11,000 sq. ft. of commercial space on the ground floor.