It Is Always Someone Elses Fault

I have noticed lately that if you have a problem it is always someone elses fault. Rather than stepping up to the plate and resolving the problem you are put off while the problem is studied, etc. In this case why don't the just pickup the f*^#king garbage and satisfy those people who pay their wages.

Trash for the taking Tenants fear rat invasion as garbage piles up uncollected for 5 weeks

By DON PEAT, SUN MEDIA

Call it Etobicoke's lost laneway.

The short lane off Evans Ave. near Royal York Rd. hasn't had a garbage, recycling or green bin pickup for at least three weeks -- and it's been the city of Toronto's responsibility since July 1.

Ronald Meredith, 75, has been phoning the city steadily as trash from apartments and businesses piles up.

Yesterday bags overflowed from the wooden cabinets used to hold them, sitting on top of piles of recyclables.

It's fortunate there's a rose garden in front of his Evans Ave. apartment.

The pyramids of trash now littering the lane "would fill a truck," Meredith said. "If you'd come down this laneway a few months ago, you wouldn't see a speck of garbage."

He called Turtle Island Recycling, which used to pick up the garbage every Monday and the recycling bin every Tuesday, but said he was told the city has taken over the contract for the tiny stretch backed onto by several Royal York Rd. stores.

When Meredith called the city, he didn't get results, so yesterday the retiree called the Sun.

"We're worried about rats," he said. "We've already had squirrels, raccoons and cats going through it."

He wants Mayor David Mil ler to deal with the trash.

"I'd like to put it on his front lawn, that's what I'd like to do," Meredith said. "I voted for him but I'll never vote for him again."

Neighbour Jason Rapsey, 34, agrees.

'REALLY FRUSTRATING'

"It's really frustrating ... It makes me not want to live in the city of Toronto any more," Rapsey said. "We're just starting to have too many problems with lack of services ...you wonder what you're paying for."

Robert Orpin of the city's solid waste management services said all businesses along that stretch of Royal York Rd. were notified mid-June the city was taking over commercial collection effective July 1.

City staff told them another time that garbage would be collected in front of their businesses.

Orpin said commercial garbage should have been picked up last night, provided it is out front and inside the city's yellow garbage bags. Because the city collects commercial garbage at night, the trucks have ended laneway pickups to eliminate excessive noise.

As for the apartment dwellers, Orpin said his staff will follow up on their stinky situation.

"Turtle Island is still picking up the residential portion in Etobicoke ... I don't know what happened there," he said. "If something slipped through the cracks, we'll look into it and find out."

This isn't the first time the little lane has had problems.

Last winter residents had to team up to keep it clean after the city stopped plowing it.

Even when city trucks sprinkled salt over a sea of fallen snow -- instead of plowing --it didn't help much, Meredith said.

The building's landlord died shovelling the extra snow, he said.

"They found him with a shovel in his hand," Meredith said, shaking his head. "This is getting ridiculous."