A popular Halifax-area walking trail has been marred by the recent discovery of garbage spread throughout the park.
A regular user of Geizer Hill Trail recently found several large black bags filled with construction debris in the area, and the revelation has sparked a call for park users to watch for illegal dumping.
Geizer Hill Trail is located in Clayton Park and is used by many in the area.
Liam Spencer walks his dogs there almost daily. As the snow began to melt, Spencer says he noticed construction debris throughout the woods.
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“We started to notice a few bits of construction debris, some Styrofoam and plastic, a few other bits of garbage,” said Spencer.
“As I started picking it up, I started to come across full-on garbage bags, not just the debris themselves. I think it was seven bags and I think there are still a few more back there; I was running out of space, to be honest.”
Cosmos Properties and Developments is currently building condos at Grandhaven Estate next to the trail and has been for the past year.
“After I found the bags, I went back home just down the road here and got my car. I filled up the car with as many as I could, all seven of them, and I took it over to where I think the development was going on who I think was responsible for it,” said Spencer.
Spencer felt the construction workers on site did not take him seriously and returned to the site two days later to find more debris.
Cosmos Developments released a statement saying it wants to keep the area clean.
“We want to keep our neighbourhood clean just as much as everyone else and we have been sending employees to clean the debris that has blown from the construction site regularly,” said Amanda Giannouli, property manager for Cosmos Properties and Developments.
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City officials are encouraging people to be on the lookout for illegal dumping anywhere in the city.
“If there is someone who witnesses either illegal dumping or garbage being moved where it shouldn’t be, we get people to call 311. If they agree to be a witness to that then we can open an investigation to see if there are any charges that need to be pressed,” said Maggie-Jane Spray with the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Construction on the condos will continue for another month, and the city will begin park cleanup on April 8.