On a Monday morning trip to Mount Douglas Park, a mother and her kids received an unwelcome surprise: weekend park-goers had left a huge mound of trash.
The local mom, whose kids had been experiencing Mount Doug for the first time, watched as a member of Saanich Solid Waste Services picked up the litter. He had arrived before they did, but still took another 30 minutes to dispose of all the waste.
“It’s corn on the cob pieces, food and [a lot of] paper plates,” the mother said. “The [worker] said every Sunday there’s a pile of garbage left from a group of people that have a picnic there.”
The garbage heap accumulated in the beachfront area of the park, not the peak of the mountain itself.
Populations of deer, raccoons, crows, and other wildlife likely added to the severity of the mess.
In addition to ruining visits to local parks, Saanich Solid Waste Services lists the following as the negative impacts of littering and dumping:
- Ground contamination.
- Health risks from exposure to harmful chemicals and disease through rodents.
- Diminishes the aesthetic value of our community.
- If the offenders aren’t caught, Saanich taxpayers pay to cover the removal and disposal costs.
If you witness illegal dumping:
- Call Saanich Police at 250-475-4321.
- Record the time and date
- Note the vehicle description, licence plate number and description of occupants.
- Record what you saw.
