Katelyn Bruckner lives near Hamilton’s Gage Park, but usually goes to the city’s harbour once a week or so to get a coffee and walk her dog along the waterfront.

She says it’s been a great year for it, following a 2024 season that saw a stinky algae bloom, and subsequent algae rot, making it hard for many to enjoy the area.

“We definitely were not coming as much last summer,” said Bruckner, likening the 2024 stench to “sour egg.” She said that after avoiding the area stretching from Bayfront Park to Pier 8 for weeks last year, it was nice to get through the whole summer this year without a similar occurrence.

Significant masses of pea-soup-like goo are visible in parts of the harbour, but unlike last year, they didn’t grow into huge mats that smelled even worse after rotting in the sun.

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