City councillor sick of downtown garbage
Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Apr 11/01) - Someone could soon be picking up after people who like to drop their trash in the city's downtown.
On Monday, council voted to hire a garbage picker.
It will cost the city $38,000 to hire a garbage picker full time for a year, but the councillor who championed the idea, Coun. Dave Ramsay said it won't cost that much this year because the worker will be hired late in the year.
The move pleased Ramsay who has said the twisted pop cans, chip bags, shattered beer bottles, and other garbage gloves that litters the downtown gives a bad impression of Yellowknife.
"We have to rectify the problem," said Ramsay during a recent priorities policies and budget committee meeting.
"I think it falls on our shoulders to clean up the streets."
Ramsay also suggested the city's bylaw officers crack down on businesses with litter strewn storefronts.
"We know who they are," said Ramsay.
He asked Dave Nicklen, director of public safety, if he remembered any businesses being ticketed for littering.
"I can't recall," said Nicklen.
According to Nicklen, sidewalks are public property and unlike snow, garbage is neither a liability nor the city's responsibility.
During committee debate, Coun. Dave McCann said bylaw should bark louder over littering.
"In Singapore if you throw a piece of gum on the street it's a major fine," said McCann, who wasn't suggesting bylaw take on the same draconian measures.
"It should be part of the arsenal of potential weapons," said McCann.
The city has a garbage bylaw with a $200 penalty, but according to Nicklen its rarely handed out.
"We have to catch them in the act or find someone willing to go to court as a witness," he said.
Coun. Alan Woytuik said people aren't the only ones to blame.
"A lot comes from our black feathered friends," said Woytuik.
He said the city should enforce its bylaw requiring homeowners to keep a lid on their garbage so the ravens don't get to it.
