City Of Calgary wants YOU to clean up public parks

[puckluck2]

http://www.calgarysun.com/2012/09/19...-early-layoffs

And so it comes to this.
A city that claims it isn’t wasting a single dime, beseeching citizens to pick up garbage because there’s no money left to pay workers.

“If you’re out walking, do us a favour and help us out,” said Todd Reichardt, Parks manager with the City of Calgary.

“If you see it, pick up the trash and put it in the nearest garbage can.”

Desperate times, desperate measures.

It’s about as desperate as times get at the city’s Parks Department, where the budget is blown, and there’s no choice but to lay off seasonal workers months ahead of schedule.

Desperate indeed.

Anyone think a private company can do a much better job for much cheaper than the City Of Calgary?

Lord knows they need an overhaul, especially in the work ethic department.

[TorqueDog]

Here's an idea - don't litter in the friggin' park.

[Sliver]

This actually doesn't seem unreasonable to me since I do it already anyway. Littering pisses me off so much.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Here's an idea - don't litter in the friggin' park.

This is almost as good as the Scotia bank "If you want to pay off your mortgage faster, pay off your mortgage faster" commercials.

[nik-]

haha the ####ing Calgary Sun ... what a piece of #### rag.

more manufactured outrage over the suggestion to be a decent human being.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Fail to see how this is a big issue. The budget is tight/gone.. if you use the park don't litter and maybe pick up one or two pieces if you can along your way.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by nik-

haha the ####ing Calgary Sun ... what a piece of #### rag.

more manufactured outrage over the suggestion to be a decent human being.

I don't blame them, I blame the simple stupid people who eat it up.

[Husky]

Actually most of the large cutting is contracted out already. Or at least it was 7+ years ago when I did it in the summer going through university.

End of the day and sort of public workers are overpaid for what they do because of unions.

[puckluck2]

It's not just about littering. There are tons of leaves that need to be raked and taken to the dump.

[sclitheroe]

Time to start charging for parking at city parks

[Husky]

Too much budget gets eaten up in management/admin type staff.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Iginla

This is almost as good as the Scotia bank "If you want to pay off your mortgage faster, pay off your mortgage faster" commercials.

This is a borderline ######ed sentiment.

Not littering simply requires you to abstain from throwing a piece of garbage anywhere that is not a trash receptacle.

Paying off one's mortgage faster requires resources that one may not have immediate access to, or flexibility in the terms and conditions governing said mortgage that prevent paying down a mortgage too quickly without additional fees tacked on.

[Regulator75]

I hate litter too, but the City needs to add more garbage cans in public spaces / parks.

[Ahuch]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I hate litter too, but the City needs to add more garbage cans in public spaces / parks.

Hid-a-bag containers run about $2-3 thousand each I believe, they're not cheap.

[Kavvy]

If the city park budget is overblown, yes, please look into it.

Asking citizens to be good samaritons to help clean up the city, great idea. I won't spend my Sunday doing it, but I really can't see how anyone can come down on the city for that, great use of tax dollars -not paying a time for some very good heart people making our city look nicer.

[nik-]

Is there a way we can blame this on the Peace Bridge?

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Iginla

It's not just about littering. There are tons of leaves that need to be raked and taken to the dump.

It would be mentally ######ed to pick up the leaves right now. Wait until most/all have fallen then rake/mulch once before winter. The leaves have been falling for maybe one week... I can't believe you're complaining about that already.

[SeoulFire]

They should allow the public beating and shaming of the dbags/bagettes who litter in the first place. That goes double for those who throw cigarette butts out their car window.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Sliver

It would be mentally ######ed to pick up the leaves right now. Wait until most/all have fallen then rake/mulch once before winter. The leaves have been falling for maybe one week... I can't believe you're complaining about that already.

Did you read the article? I'm not complaining, that's what the article says will be effected because of the layoffs.

Edit: I'll save you the trouble of actually reading the story before commenting.

"Typically, those nearly 400 workers would spend the fall raking, trimming and collecting the trash caught in shrubs and fences around town — much as Calgarians do to get their own yards ready for winter."

[Smartcar]

Ald. John Mar, chair of the city’s Community and Protective Services Committee, says Parks was shortchanged because the fire department needed more money.
“This is the direct result of council reducing the budget for parks — we are hearing a lot now from citizens about the state of our parks, and we don’t disagree,” said Mar.
“We robbed parks to pay for fire.”

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see anything wrong with that. If money is tight, raking leaves is low priority compared to putting out fires.