July 25, 2009, 3 e-mail

Boris Steipe

After the last rain shower, right now 17:30 pm on Saturday July 25. the rink is literally overflowing. Water is pushed over the threshold at the southern gate, into the storm sewers. Swaths of oily liquid are being discharged. As well, liquid is escaping at multiple points around the perimeter.

The sorbent socks have been saturated for days and are holding back nothing. The covered storm sewer grilles on the west and north sides are likewise holding nothing back.

I have some HD footage ...

Boris PS. Of course, regarding run-off, Christie Pits is actually one of the better controlled sites. Moss park doesn't have any barrier to speak of, Sunnyside's barriers have been ineffective from the beginning... etc.)

G. R. wrote:

Hi all, Did anyone else catch the news tidbit the other night. Miller said the city couldn't remove the trash because it is not its responsibility!

The garbage legally belongs to Republic Services Inc., which holds the contract to haul Toronto's trash.

The statement is in the text at the bottom on the following site: http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090722/trash_protest_090722/20090722/?site_codename=Toronto

This keeps getting stranger and stranger:

1. The City in its wisdom decides to put garbage in ice rinks rather than require waste to be brought to transfer stations.

2. The City does not enforce the double-bag policy, the garbage leaks and the ice-rink overflow and become a breeding ground for disease and toxic effluent.

3. The City has a permit from the Province to have a temporary dump as long as they meet the conditions - most important that they spray regularly and that run-off is contained.

4. The Province does not actually enforce the conditions of the permit, it is up to the City to enforce the conditions of its own permit.

5. The City does not make the decision when and how much pesticide to spray, that is private contractor Orkin's decision. Orkin is going gangbusters with the pesticide. They are probably paid by the litre.

6. Even when presented with evidence that there is toxic run-off the Province nor the City will do anything. The province and the city refuse to test the run-off because they are scared to find out what is in it.

7. We have a Medical Officer of Health who says that dumps of garbage in ice rinks which are sprayed daily with more poisons are safe for children.

8. Now we find out that the garbage, once it is deposited at these sites no longer is city property, but belongs to Republic Services Inc. to be sprayed by private contractor Orkin.

Conclusion: We have Republic Services' garbage being sprayed by Orkin in our ice-rink, but it is our City government which has arranged for it to be there, and the Province nor the Medical Officer of Health think it is the least bit of a problem.

I feel like I have entered the Mike Harris twilight zone.

M. A. wrote:

Greetings to all. I am a Toronto resident with kids at a school near Christie Pits. I am following this issue and Friends of Christie Pits postings while on family holiday now in Jordan. I am saddened and perplexed to hear that the issue is becoming even more complicated.

First, can we check the validity of the statement that the garbage now 'legally belongs to Republic Services." If this is so, is there an action we can take with the company?

Secondly, is there a provincial medical officer of health or equivalent that we can approach on the issue - if there are no other bodies apparently willing to take accountability?

Thirdly, in all the efforts to coordinate with other communities organizing around their temp. dump sites, are there resources/ people with expertise who we can work with to forward the issue of the trash removal?

Very interested to hear any ideas and response on these. Thank you,