Don’t block the way to a clean, healthy park

[guest]

It’s a bright and warm sunny day. You decide to take your kids to your neighbourhood park to enjoy the play structures and a refreshing cold spray at the splash pad. When you get there, you see the unsightly image of wrappers, pop cans, and paper bags strewn around the park. You collect the items to properly them toss away, and then you spot the culprit – a trash bin overflowing with garbage bags filled with household waste.

Unfortunately, this scenario is more common in many Ottawa parks than you might think. City trash bins are not for disposing your household waste. When people do, it prevents everyone from keeping our parks clean and green for you and your family to use.

Very often, the garbage bags are ripped open by squirrels, seagulls and racoons, creating an eyesore with a large amount waste scattered through the park. Local parks should be a source of pride and represent the community spirit of your neighbourhood – an extension of your own home and property.

Overloading park bins with household waste can have a negative effect on the park aesthetics, reduces community pride and increases operational costs for the removal and disposal of waste. Dumping household and construction waste in park bins results in an increase in service requests to the City. The additional volume of waste results in increased operational costs that are funded through property taxes.

In addition, it’s illegal to dump household waste in the park bins, and persons found to be dumping in parks could be fined.

Remember, starting July 2, you can use plastic bags, as well as paper bags, to dispose of your household organic waste as well as dog feces in the green bin – making it easier and less messy to use. Using the green bin reduces your garbage by almost 50 per cent. Unlike garbage, the green bin is collected weekly.

When you dump your household garbage in the park bin, everyone pays – children and families who use the park and taxpayers at large.

Please keep your household waste at home. Don’t block the way to clean and healthy parks for you, your family neighbours and all parks visitors.

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