For the longest time Park-Ex City counselor Mary Deros had been fighting the garbage battle in Park-Ex alone. Not anymore.
A group of concerned long time residents of Parc Ext tired of seeing garbage 24/7 on in their streets have been instrumental to help clean up the borough. “The streets lined with garbage is becoming an out-of-control crisis and even environmental concern in certain areas.” That is mentioned in their communication with Park Ex News
Park Ex is a unique densely populated (four times Montreal’s average population density) and a multilingual, transitory neighbourhood. However, according to this concerned citizen group, cutbacks have hurt Park Ex and the garbage and unsanitary situation is giving Park-Ex the reputation of being a slum and in their opinion not fair for those of them who do take care of their homes.
These Park-Exers are saying that “It is unacceptable to submit numerous complaints to the city (311) and after many years still have no clear plan of action or long-term solution from the city on how to solve our garbage issue on our streets and in hot zones let alone the lack or willingness to enforce fines to repeat offenders. We as citizens are paying the same amount of taxes as everyone else and garbage should not be a concern. We feel neglected. The mayor and her administration’s negligence towards the citizens of parc extension is unacceptable! It is this administration’s duty to fix the issue that they created by cutting garbage pickup to once a week in this highly populated district.”
The group has even set forth a document with proposals on garbage collection such as:
Returning to Garbage pick up to twice a week as was before 2018 keeping the usual once a week recycling and compost pickup.
Increasing commercial recycling to twice a week.
Finding a solution to unsightly bins
Installing more practical garbage bins on streets, including bins to all bus stops
Starting an educational campaign via media, in person, pamphlets in order to get point across in English and in French on waste management.
Deros chimes in
City counselor Mary Deros feels vindicated. In an interview with Park-Extension news she said ever since this group got involved, she now gets pictures and images of addresses where garbage is piling up by irresponsible owners. This helps her immensely when trying to identify problematic areas and repeat offenders. For about a month now, inspectors from the city have intensified their patrols and especially from Beumont to Cremazie, notices have been replaced by fines.
“The owners must understand that it is their responsibility to have their tenants respect the rules since it is the owner of the building that is fined and not the tenant” said Mary Deros