We have reprinted a sequence of emails in which he describes how the city and BFI eventually responded to his concerns.
It is worth noting that we took his complaint directly to the Mayor's Office (yes, while we were on holiday) and miraculously, the "within 3 days" that 311 told him it would take to look into it? The heap of garbage was hauled away within 4 business hours of our intervention.
*********************
From: (west end resident)
To: 311@winnipeg.ca
CC: hsmith@winnipeg.ca; skatz@winnipeg.ca; kateri@mts.net; info@westendbiz.ca; winnipeg@bficanada.com
Subject: What's wrong with Winnipeg.
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:17:25 -0500
311... Water and waste... and the continuing build up of garbage (see pictures attached) (never mind... seems your server doesn't allow you to enjoy the views we do as the last e-mail with attachments was sent back. maybe you'd like to drive by and see them for yourself instead?) that the the City bureaucrats seems to be unable (or unwilling) to deal with. The solutions seems simple, but there is no one willing to actually DO anything about it.
As citizens, CHOOSING to live both in Winnipeg, and in the West End, we become increasingly disheartened by the complete lack of respect shown by other members of the community, AS WELL AS the various City departments.
Perhaps when you hear the address, it gets shuffled to the "when we have time" file, or maybe you assume that the ensuing garbage bin or back lane fire might make the debris we call about disappear, or might make it a little less bulky to eventually pick up.
Two weeks ago, I called you (311) from my cell to report an abandoned couch behind the church at 794 Ellice Ave. (Kateri Tekakwitha Aboriginal Catholic Parish). I was told we'd have to wait almost a week for a pick up, and that there would be a charge to haul away the couch. I explained that it was not my couch, and I was meerly calling to tell them that one had been abandoned, and was a fire hazard and needed to be picked up. (I was unable to record my reference number)
No one came. Well, that's not entirely true. Another couch came, then a 50 gallon oil drum, then a coffee table, now a bed frame is included, along with 2 shopping carts full of tree cuttings. What bliss! Now the garbage area is so filled up, the stinking rotting mess can't be picked up by the garbage truck (BFI).
Why so upset? We've called 311 before, only to receive the same run around. Wait a week, and no one comes. While recognizing the need for a garbage bin, (since the City off loaded that service and forced organizations to get their own bins), the continuing situation is completely unacceptable.
The bin is located almost 4' into the lane forcing traffic closer to the side of our home, the debris from the bin often flows over the sides of the truck, littering our sideyard, and front yard, depending on the wind, and the stench is becoming unbearable in the summer heat... and NO ONE cares.
The bin is shared by the church and two businesses, as well as an apartment block. The residents routinely do not bag their garbage, and the businesses typically drop large boxes that they can't bother cutting up into the dumpster, causing it to be over filled very often.
The City does not come by to pick up the abandoned debris, the Church does not remove the unsightly mess, yet as citizens we are helpless to do anything (aside from throwing an incendiary device into the mess). The Church seems either unwilling, or unable to do anything about the matter, never having responded to a letter sent to them last December, and continuing to leave the debris unattended to, (or presumably, not bothering to call 311 either) There are no lids on the garbage bin, no signs warning of "no illegal dumping", or any other measures to deter the ongoing practice.
Responsibility for the illegal dumping falls SQUARELY on the back of the Water and Waste Department. People in this area are the most likely to have personal belongings that they "throw out" as they "upgrade". They are unable to haul the debris to the farthest reaches of the City (Brady Road), (or are unwilling to incur the multiple flat tires from THAT poorly managed facility), and are also unwilling to pay the pick up fee the City charges.
Can you really tell me that's the BEST you can do? Other cities have more centrally located transfer stations, open later hours than the landfill sites. Do you need me to tell you what cities? Their fees? Their hours? Their population? The maximum driving distance a citizen would have to travel?
You have recently foisted upon us a "new and improved" garbage collection system, touted as "roll out your garbage" we didn't ask for. After a week in the sun, these things reek, and the yard waste won't even come out of the container, meaning it ripens even more! Perhaps a wholesale review of the ongoing PROBLEMS that really affect the quality of life of the residents would have been in order.
Instead of spending untold millions on bicycle paths that do nothing but disrupt our lives, you could have come up with a way to deal with the ongoing problems of waste disposal in our City.
Sincerely,
(listeners name withheld)
*****************
Subject: FW:
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:56:29 -0500
From: 311@winnipeg.ca
To: (west end resident)
Good Morning.
Thank you for contacting Winnipeg 311. I apologize for the delay in pick up. We have re-submitted another request to have the items picked up, and requested that they contact you to discuss your concerns. The new reference number is 387453 and they will looked into this matter within 3 business days.
If you have any other questions or concerns please feel free to contact us again.
Sincerely,
Lee
Service Representative
311 Contact Centre
311@winnipeg.ca
******************
From:(west end resident)
To: 311@winnipeg.ca
Cc: hsmith@winnipeg.ca, skatz@winnipeg.ca, info@westendbiz.ca, winnipeg@bficanada.com, kateri@mts.net
Dear Lee,
Today, a representative from the City's Water and Waste Department, the caretaker of the church, and BFI attended the site to remove the debris. While the maggots left littering the lane are something to be desired, the clean up is appreciated, as well as the plan to remove the bin, and hopefully stop the ongoing illegal dumping.
The ROOT CAUSE of the matter is still unresolved, and Winnipeg as a whole needs to come to grips with the need to handle the solid waste in the City's core areas more diligently.
Kudo's to Councilor Smith for coming by the day he received my first e-mail, as well as Casey Jones from the City, (responsible for the roll out bins, NOT the auto bins), for his help loading the couches and other debris into the BFI bin.
Thanks to BFI for assisting in hauling the debris, as well as the Caretaker of Kateri Tekakwitha for agreeing to manage their garbage differently.
Shame on 311. Apparently, not only my request went unheeded for 2 weeks, but the Church has called twice in that time as well.
If not shame on 311, then shame on Water and Waste, and certainly shame on the organization of The City of Winnipeg for the dismal response time, and for ignoring the three calls we are AWARE of. How many other concerns just get ignored?
There remains a 50 gallon drum, 1/3 full of an unknown substance, that can not be lifted, nor disposed of in good conscience.
