You can just imagine the eager anticipation fueling this furry Norwegian as he darted across Mercer Street, a delicious mound of scattered garbage heaped up on the curb and spilling over onto the asphalt in front of the home at 650 Mercer.
And then — splat! — the fat rat is run down and flattened by cruel fate, probably in the form of a vehicle driven by a multi-tasking mother rushing her youngster to a tiny tots swim class at the nearby Windsor Water World.
Rat that didn't make it across Mercer St. to access Windsor's newest garbage dump. http://t.co/xgfXg9Bs
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Doug Schmidt (@schmidtcity) November 21, 2012
Windsor's newest garbage dump in front of 650 Mercer St. (across from a fruit market). http://t.co/i8il9NiM
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Doug Schmidt (@schmidtcity) November 21, 2012
Rats, of course, are just one of the byproducts when residents allow filth and waste to accumulate on the public right-of-way in front of their homes. Across the street from this newest garbage dump in Windsor’s core (Ward 3 — Councilor Fulvio Valentinis’s turf) is the Family Fruit Market. Busy Wyandotte Street East is just a few steps away, and across that retail ribbon is Windsor Water World and the Glengarry projects.
I don’t care whether someone wonders if this city is the Earth’s rectum — this should not be acceptable. I’ve cycled by this dumpsite a number of times now on my way to and from work, obviously this is a corner of Windsor apparently lacking in civic pride.
I don’t blame the city or the mayor — I don’t want my tax dollars babysitting every small insult. When somebody leaves their dog poop on my front lawn, it’s not my fault, but I clean it up anyway.
I’m not suggesting the people at 650 Mercer caused this. Among the stinky mess is a recent bank statement for an individual living at 1500 Partington Ave.
Got any unlicensed city dump sites near your home? Clean it up or give the city a call at 311, or call your city councilor or give me a call and maybe I’ll cycle by to document it and perhaps name names.
Here’s another view of the new city dump on Mercer:
Another view of Windsor's newest dump at 650 Mercer St. http://t.co/rQdXY0Hu
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Doug Schmidt (@schmidtcity) November 21, 2012
This is not acceptable in a city under transformation. It doesn’t take much to dirty a reputation, but it also doesn’t take much to clean up our act.
dschmidt@windsorstar.com or 519-255-5586
