BROOKDALE - Brenda Clarke is growing tired of the same mess year after year.
The Pumping Station Road resident is concerned with the amount of garbage left behind every year after the town's annual fishing derby and the rowdy parties teens seem to hold long into the night.
"It just seems as though it's getting worse and worse every year," Clarke said.
"It's extremely frustrating."
Along with garbage, there's broken glass, liquor bottles, charred wood and clothing. The derby also brings traffic speeding along the rural road and parking problems.
Although concerned, she doesn't want the town to do anything drastic, like cancel the derby. She's hoping it will take steps to clean up the property afterwards and is calling on police to increase patrols on the night of the event to keep teens from causing havoc.
"The derby is a good thing. It's for the little kids and it brings families out the park," she said. "We're just hoping they will do something about the garbage that's left behind and stop the kids from partying all night."
Clarke has sent a letter to Cumberland County Warden Keith Hunter asking if there's anything he can do. She's also writing to the Cumberland RCMP and the Amherst Police.
She's also hoping to talk to officials with the town asking for assistance, and wants the Department of Natural Resources to come in after the derby to see if there are people fishing without a licence.
"We're not trying to cause problems, we just want them to do something to help us," Clarke said. "At one time, the town used to come in after the derby and clean it up, but they haven't been doing that in recent years. They used to have washrooms down there and there were no parking signs. Those years were fine."
Amherst town manager Greg Herrett is not aware of Clarke's concern, but welcomes the opportunity to talk to her.
He said some of her concerns about teens partying are familiar ones since the fire department abandoned plans to put its training facility at the pumping station because of vandalism. Herrett said the town has no control over policing the area, but would be willing to take care of the garbage problem.
"If there's a problem, I'm sure we'll do what we can to help," Herrett said.
dcole@amherstdaily.com
Its extremely frustrating
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Published on
May 30, 2008
- Published on January 3, 2010
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Darrell Cole
Brookdale residents fed up with garbage left behind after annual fishing derby
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Comments
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- teenager.
- - January 18, 2010 at 12:24:03
The fishing durby has completely nothing to do with the parties in which take place at the pumping station. In fact, parties take place out there even on days in which the durby is not. In fact, there is ment to be one today (this friday) before this article was even put out (check facebook?). Teenagers go there because well, the cops don't.. and the way they see it is the cops cannot catch us all..
Away from the garbage idea, how is this safe at all? there is a dam in which is fenched up and is exteremly dangerous. I personally don't go out there and i do not like me friends being there either. -
- bubba
- - January 18, 2010 at 12:19:30
this is a county problem - not a town problem . and actually the derby is sponserd by canadian tire it should be their problem - they are getting all the headlines for putting it on - they should have had pot a potties set up - extra garbage cans and a clean-up crew come in afterwards to clean up THEIR event . , and is miss clarke crying sour grapes because she didn't catch any fish ? -
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- jay
- - January 18, 2010 at 11:44:05
I would say that Mrs.Clarke is concerned over the mess that is left there by the adults/18/19 year olds that are out there fishing and drinking after the derby.That's where most of the trash comes from.
