Residence of Point Douglas furious after dump truck leaves garbage on street

By Mike Albanese

A commercial truck was caught dumping trash in the Point Douglas neighbourhood, exacerbating a problem residents say already plagues the area.

Residents of point Douglas say people discard trash in their neighbourhood far too often. It’s a problem that was highlighted when a construction company was caught dumping debris on camera.

“It’s like garbage everywhere. I don’t even know what to say to it it’s like ugh. I guess that’s the best answer ‘ugh’,” said Kayla Jarvis, Point Douglas resident.

“You look at something like that and you say, this isn’t one bad apple – this is a culture where they can feel comfortable taking a company vehicle and dumping garbage in the middle of the street in their own neighbourhood,” said Ben Thiessen, housing chair of Point Douglas Residents Committee.

This dump truck owned by PRIMAL Contracting was caught dumping trash at the end of Maple Street North last month… Point Douglas Residents Committee Housing Chair Ben Thiessen says over the past 20 years Point Douglas residents and companies have started to IMPROVE the culture and care for their neighbourhood – but there are still a few who’ve yet to join in.

“This is a fantastic neighbourhood – but there are people who still believe, these are the slumlords and these businesses that think it’s a trashy neighbourhood – it’s not! It’s a great neighbourhood, with great people and we want to see better and safer!” explained Thiessen.

“I was shocked. I couldn’t believe this gentleman would do this to my company, to make me look like nothing,” said Eric Dihic, Owner of PRIMAL Contracting Ltd.

Dihic says he gave an employee money to go to the dump, and instead the employee decided to dump on a backstreet and pocket the cash. He says the employee has since been terminated.

“Absolutely apologize – first thing, I apologize to the community about the situation.”

Thiessen says he appreciates Dihic owning the mistake and taking action, and would welcome the company with open arms to the next community clean-up – something Thiessen says they’ve never taken part in before.

Ryan Gobeil manages a business in Point Douglas, he says even with community clean-ups, the general littering problem persists.

“I don’t think anything is getting done, and I think it’s getting worse over the past six months to tell you truth. It’s at an all-time high in my eyes.”

His statements are echoed by Jarvis – who says it’s become such a second nature for people to litter in Point Douglas that it’s becoming learned behaviour.

“It’s an everyday thing. Like I have to correct my kids on it because they’re so used to seeing the garbage on the ground that they think they can just do that and I’m like no that’s not okay,” she explained.

Gobeil says the city of Winnipeg needs to step in and divert resources to do a major clean-up because the problem is out of hand – and the people of Point Douglas feel their pleas are heard.

“Because it’s Point Douglas there is no care put into it. But if it was any other part of the city they’d care, that’s disheartening and that’s a fact.”

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