A Vancouver city councillor is serving up some trash talk for whoever dumped a truckload of garbage in Strathcona park this weekend.
Pete Fry said he came upon the “significant quantities of household garbage” Saturday morning while he was walking his dog.
Fry said it was the second or third time in recent weeks he’s found a similar pile of refuse.
“It’s not a great look for Vancouverites,” said Fry.
By the time Fry found the garbage, which he said would have required a vehicle to transport, animals had already begun to pick through it and spread it out.
“I can’t even comprehend what goes through somebody’s mind when they do something like this,” said Fry.
“It’s a lovely park, it’s a public park, it’s a place enjoyed by everyone, but to come and dump your garbage there just blows my mind.”
Vancouver has long struggled with an illegal dumping problem which, by some estimates, costs the city nearly $2 million per year.
City staff say dumped trash tends to attract even more dumped trash, escalating the problem.
Under city bylaws, someone caught dumping trash could be fined between $100 and $500, and if the city prosecutes, the dumper could be liable for up to $10,000.
Fry said he’s hopeful residents will keep their eyes out for illegal dumpers, and report their licence plate numbers to the city.
“I don’t know how you deal with behaviour like that,” he said. “Maybe fining them is the way to go, and to pursue them.”