Yellowknife (Feb 02/05) - Cabin owners on Walsh Lake say they're worried their backyards could become the next dumping ground for Yellowknife residents.

Donna Portz said she was shocked to discover that somebody had dumped a big pile of refuse on the shore of Vee Lake, at the ice road entrance to Walsh Lake, Sunday evening.

The pile included a stuffed armchair, some bashed up shelves and cupboards, and even a sad-looking potted plant. A couple of days before someone dropped off a couch near the same location and set it ablaze.

Portz can only imagine what she will see dumped at the side of Vee Lake Road if city council decides to impose tipping fees on residents bringing their garbage to the city landfill.

The parking lot and boat launch at Vee Lake is just a couple hundred meters outside of city limits.

"If it's starting already, what's going to happen when the tipping fees come in?" asked Portz.

"(Walsh) Lake isn't too bad at this time of year, but it's been cold."

Portz said she and her husband will probably clean the pile up and take the garbage to the dump themselves.

Cabin owner Lorna Palmer said she wishes people would show a little more respect when visiting the area. She said people are drilling fishing holes through the ice road, leaving behind caribou gut piles and speeding on the ice in their trucks and snowmobiles.

Ice road close to town

The ice road from Vee Lake is a popular destination for many winter enthusiasts because of its close proximity to town and easy access to the outdoors.

"People don't realize it's a private road," said Palmer.

"One yahoo - Mel (her husband) caught him last week - he had to go 130 kilometres an hour to catch up with him. Just slow down!"

Emery Paquin, director of environmental protection with Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development (RWED), said the maximum fine for illegal dumping is $300,000. However, he noted it's highly unlikely someone caught dumping their garbage in the bush would receive a penalty anywhere close to that.

He said "midnight dumping" is a concern, although his department has never received any official complaints.

Paquin said they will have to wait and see what happens when and if the city decides to impose a tipping fee on residents.

"We would certainly want to work with the city to make sure their actions don't encourage adverse actions by the public," said Paquin.

Citizens who see people dumping illegally outside of city limits should notify RWED, he said.

Greg Kehoe, director of the city's public works department, said other communities have found incidents of illegal dumping often rose when a tipping fee was imposed, but then trailed off after people got used to it.

"They fall into the routine," said Kehoe.

"That's the experience of other municipalities."