Resident concerned with trash along creek
Apr 11, 2008 - 12:15 PM
By Keith Gilligan
AJAX -- Seeing the snow melt is a welcome sight, but what's been hidden underneath it isn't.
Beneath the snow is litter, and plenty of it.
"We're in full litter control mode right now," says Tim Murphy, the Town's environmental services co-ordinator. "We have three crews out every day picking up litter."
Crews focus on main areas first, such as along major roads, then parks and finally stormwater management ponds, he adds.
Michael Webb, an Angier Crescent resident, says the litter blowing around his neighbourhood this year is "pretty horrible.
"It's worse now. This time of year the snow melts. It's an ongoing problem and it's compounded by the recycling problem," Mr. Webb says. "I've been told the city (Ajax) is only responsible for curbside pick-up, which I completely understand.
"It sounds like the city is expecting residents to organize and do something, which is reasonable," he adds.
His home backs onto Carruthers Creek and the shoreline is littered with trash.
Mr. Murphy says most of the litter is items left out for recycling.
"People put it out and the wind blows it all over the place."
Crews are of two or three people and "we keep them out there all spring to get it all cleared up," Mr. Murphy states.
The area Mr. Webb has raised as an issue "will be done, probably late next week. It's real bad this year," he notes.
In addition to the creek, Mr. Webb's home is near a stormwater management pond, which is also lined with litter. The pond flows into Carruthers Creek and then out into Lake Ontario, he says.
The trash is "blowing around the neighbourhood. People need to be more responsible. I don't know what the solution is.
"Recycling is good, but it's making the neighbourhood pretty horrible."
That, Mr. Webb says, is "hurting property values" because prospective buyers would be reluctant to purchase a house with garbage blowing around.
The Town wants residents to help with parks, but to leave watercourses to Town staff, due to the possible danger, Mr. Murphy says.
Ajax is doing a 20-minute makeover on Friday, April 18 and then an Earth Day challenge on Saturday, April 19.
Mr. Murphy says residents can sign-up for the Earth Day challenge by going to the Town's website at
www.townofajax.com. Gloves and bags will be provided and, at the end of the day, the bags will be collected.
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