Loading....
Loading...
Local
Loading...
|
Canada
Loading...
|
World
Loading...
|
Business
Loading...
|
Sports
|
Entertainment
|
Movies
Loading...
|
Columns
Loading...
|
Blogs
Loading...
|
Life
|
Travel
Loading...
|
Games
|
x
HomeLocal

Moss Park dump could grow

Site reduced from original size, but city says that may change
  vince talotta/torstar news service

The Christie Pits garbage dump, shown here, is pretty full and stopped taking trash yesterday. The original dump zone at Moss Park downtown was reduced after complaints, but it could expand again, says a city spokesperson.

TORSTAR NEWS SERVICE
July 06, 2009 5:22 a.m.
       Text size          
In stark contrast to the Christie Pits site, which stopped accepting new trash yesterday after a group of activists rallied against their parklands becoming a dump, many Moss Park residents have quietly accepted the influx of trash in their green space.

The park, near Queen and Sherbourne, sits near three of the city’s largest homeless shelters, and is a popular refuge for the area’s underprivileged. There’s a playground, a community garden, a cricket field and a dog park.

“The garbage has to go somewhere,” said J.J. Witherspoon, a psychologist who has lived in the area for 16 years.

Joachim ?Kun, a 62-year-old drifter who has been sleeping in the park, has watched black trash bags slowly fill the nearby basketball courts.

“I really don’t notice the smell,” said Kun. “It’s OK right now.”

When the fences were erected 10 days ago, they stretched the length of the park, prompting several complaints from residents that they had been robbed of their public space.

On Thursday, the dump zone was reduced, the result of several fences being repeatedly knocked over.

“I seen people going over the fence to play soccer, to walk their dogs. They didn’t like it,” resident Danielle Humphreys said.

The site now sits adjacent to the Moss Park arena, away from the fields where a handful of people played baseball Saturday afternoon.

But that could change. If the current zone reaches capacity, the city would expand the dumpsite back onto the fields, city spokesperson Cheryn Thoun said.

Perry Missal, who has been lobbying the city to consider an alternate dumpsite, says the re-expansion would spur some major opposition among park users.

More about Toronto City Strike
Don't be greedy, share this article:                                       

more local stories

Tut comes to Toronto

The Art Gallery of Ontario is bringing the riches of Tutankhamen’s tomb to Toronto.

Ont. looking to impose new rules to restrict OxyContin, other painkillers

TORONTO - Ontario may have new rules before the end of the year to restrict how the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin is prescribed and dispensed, as well as other narcotics and controlled substances, government officials said.

City plays host to laugh-off

MONTREAL - Ah, Vancouver. Basking in the glow of international attention as it prepares to host the 2010 Winter Olympics. Little does it know there is a move afoot in Toronto to shanghai its worldwide sports thunder.

Parties for a cause

In case you needed another reason to party, a University of Toronto student group has come up with one for you: Charity.

TTC response by the book: Officials

For TTC riders already irked by an impending fare hike, Wednesday’s subway shutdown felt like chaos.

editor's picks

Nearly a third of the members of Parliament are on Twitter bandwagon

OTTAWA - Members of Parliament are scrambling to climb aboard the Twitter bandwagon - and getting elbowed by controversial, satirical and even phoney postings.

U.S. volunteers strive to save Santa letter service after Postal Service puts it on ice

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A group of volunteer Santa Claus "elves" in Alaska's frigid interior is determined to save a popular holiday letter service featuring the North Pole's most beloved icon.

Egypt, Algeria in a growing diplomatic row caused by their bitter soccer rivalry

CAIRO, Egypt - Egypt on Thursday recalled its ambassador to Algeria for consultations as part of a growing diplomatic row caused by a bitter soccer rivalry between the two Arab nations that has sparked violence among fans.

EU heads into new era with unknowns named to new president, foreign policy jobs

BRUSSELS - The EU says it has solved an old problem for Washington.

Finance minister proposes code of conduct for credit-and debit-card companies

OTTAWA - Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is proposing a voluntary code of conduct for credit-and debit-card companies that he says will "level the playing field" for consumers and small businesses alike.


F E A T U R E D   S P O N S O R S