Editor, The News:
As many of you know the irresponsible dumping of unwanted garbage on urban and rural roadsides and pull-outs is a continual problem.
In the past two months at the parking area at 28101 Dewdney Trunk Road, an area accessed by the public for recreation and enjoyment of our great outdoors, has had no less than 10 loads of personal and light construction materials dumped.
This site is by no means the only one, but it draws our attention the issue.
Occasionally, concerned citizens, such as a group of parents and staff from the environmental school take their own time and do a clean up.
Thank you for your efforts. Otherwise, it is left to adjacent land managers or owners to clean up after these irresponsible parties.
The most recent dumps at this location occurred sometime on March 24 and 25. One of the loads had personal papers and photographs in a plastic container. Most documents are dated 1980, ’90s and some much earlier, and are also from Quebec.
This appears to be estate related, either dumped by a trash hauler or even a family member.
Another of the dumps had remnant painting materials, possibly dumped by a renovation contractor.
For those of us who put effort and pride in keeping our outdoor free of this trash, consider the frustration when days after effort has been put into cleaning up, it is back to the same old stuff again.
This is a much wider issue that affects the community as a whole, and as such deserves leadership and direction from community and provincial bodies.
It is shameful those who feel it is their right to dump wherever they feel.
Jonathan Smyth
Maple Ridge