OTTAWA – Social media platforms sent out a wave of geotagged #allclears and #oktogothere after the federal government released the report of a study giving Hill Lake in Algonquin Park a clean bill of health. The study, which cost $11 million, was carried out by a team of researchers after Twitter and Facebook users had spread widespread alarm a year and a half ago about a possible safety hazard.
The lake had immediately trended as #dangerous, #unsafe and #dontgothere after it was reported to have a hill on it, by a concerned parent. The researchers found however, after an extensive survey, that it had only been an optical illusion.
“We’re happy to report that there is absolutely no danger to the public,” said Tony Camparo, a spokesperson from Health and Safety Canada. “And it was wise to be on the safe side, because if there had been a hill there, someone might have fallen and broken a leg, or something.”
Comparo noted that in spite of the concerns raised through social media, and the government’s quick response to quell the panic and put people’s minds at ease, not everyone had been happy about the report.
It was a big disappointment to the extreme sport crowd who had immediately rushed out and bought downhill water skis. Also, he said the treasury board had been a bit miffed about the overall cost of the study.
“So if we can ever trace who spread the rumour in the first place, they will get such a bill in the mail.” Source: FNT Staff
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