East Van Garbage Watch: Enough with dumping furniture in alleys already!

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      East Vancouver smells like shit.

      Between West Coast Reduction's rendering plant on North Commercial, the vomit and urine streaking the sidewalks and alleyways after special events, and the epic piles of garbage, it's hard to argue that the east side of town smells like anything other than rancid death.

      To wit, I present the 2013 East Van Garbage Watch (patent pending): a semi-regular series of photos of disgustingness.

      Today's entry: Enough with dumping furniture in alleys already!

      This is a stretch of alleyway that I travese every day on my way to work and I've been watching this particular pile of refuse grow for the better part of May. 

      I saw this one-time couch…

      Miranda Nelson

      …cannibalized into this.

      Miranda Nelson

      Here's a big pile of trash someone was too lazy to throw in the Dumpster that is all of 10 feet away.

      Miranda Nelson

      This fella showed up last week.

      Miranda Nelson

      And before long was joined by new friends.

      Miranda Nelson

      This pile has everything: broken televisions, a busted car seat, abandoned luggage, and more furniture than one person would ever reasonably need. 

      Need a pair of rotting orange ottomans and two black throw pillows? You're in luck!

      Miranda Nelson

      This is hardly a new problem in the neighbourhood (as I've chronicled in this space before). But I still cannot wrap my head around what compels people to erect trash piles of such magnitude. Don't you know that this is how we get vermin? Why do you think Vancouver has such a huge rat problem? 

      Honestly, if you dumped your garbage here, you should be ashamed of yourself.

      And for the City of Vancouver? This pile is in the alleyway at Fraser Street and East 59th Avenue. Please feel free to pick it up at your earliest convenience.

      UPDATE May 22: The mattresses have disappeared, but the rest of the garbage remains.

      Miranda Nelson
      Just a guess but this probably ain't safe for kids anymore.
      Miranda Nelson
      Need gumboots? We've got gumboots.
      Miranda Nelson
      Hello chair! I don't recall seeing you here yesterday. Granted, you could have been hidden under this massive pile of garbage.
      Miranda Nelson

      Previously on East Van Garbage Watch: Dude Chilling Park? More like Dog Pooping Park.

      Have an East Van garbage photo you want to share? Tweet it to me at @charenton_ with the photo's location, date it was taken, and any other observations you may have.

      Comments

      6 Comments

      West End Garbage

      May 21, 2015 at 4:00pm

      Is no better, that same picture could be from the alleys of West End and no one would know the difference.

      the pope

      May 21, 2015 at 6:17pm

      This is the result that happens when garbage pick up is cut back.The rodent problem that Vancouver and surrounding municipalities have now is all because of the food scraps program... Clean burning Incinerators are the way of the of the future...All this recycling B/S cost more in the long run people....

      Dale S.

      May 21, 2015 at 8:48pm

      People are just too fucking lazy to do the rite thing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Nick V

      May 23, 2015 at 2:00am

      People are broke and the city loves to squeeze every last penny out of its citizens, if your on welfare you can't afford the 25 bucks it costs to dump the mattress your flea bitten apartment infected with bed bugs.

      SallyW

      Jun 5, 2015 at 11:55am

      Are you reporting these by calling 311 with the location information for the City workers to pick up these up?

      Or just bitching without helping the situation? We all have to do our part - which includes location reporting of illegal dumping.

      Miranda Nelson

      Jun 5, 2015 at 11:58am

      SallyW,

      Yeah, I reported this one. And the alley's been clean ever since.