While a full-time Clean Team has already picked up more than 5,000 needles in VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 downtown core this year, businesses outside of the less than two-square-kilometre radius are left to deal with dirty needles themselves.
Richard Impett has owned the property on the corner of Government and Queens for 34 years. On Monday, Oct. 22, companies renting space on the property couldnB次元官网网址檛 get access to their business because one of the driveways was blocked by garbage.
B次元官网网址淐lothing, garbage, garbage bins, bicycles, vacuum cleaners. Dozens and dozens of needlesB次元官网网址� were found there, Impett said. B次元官网网址淭he needles are unbelievable.B次元官网网址�
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When they called the city, workers came with a bin to take the junk. A needle removal company has tried to clean up the needles before, but Impett said itB次元官网网址檚 impossible despite a needle drop-off bin down the road.
B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 get into the back because thereB次元官网网址檚 so many needles there,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not prepared to have our employees touch any of the stuff, because theyB次元官网网址檙e not used to handling needles B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 not part of their job. ItB次元官网网址檚 not just being picky, itB次元官网网址檚 really disgusting sometimesB次元官网网址� ThereB次元官网网址檚 often vomit, excrement, you name it.B次元官网网址�
His store is a few blocks outside of the Downtown Victoria Business Association Clean TeamB次元官网网址檚 boundary. Several ideas have been tried over the past few years, such as when the city added curbs and sidewalks in the area several years ago, and the businesses can call a police liaison officer who knows the block well. ImpettB次元官网网址檚 property also maintains a garden area along Queens Street, which Impett said theyB次元官网网址檝e spent a lot of money on.
B次元官网网址淏ut inside the bushes, everywhere you can find needles. So, itB次元官网网址檚 scary to go in and do the landscaping,B次元官网网址� he said, adding that multiple landscaping companies turned down the job. The woman who eventually did the work wore heavy-duty gloves to avoid being pricked by used needles.
B次元官网网址淚 know all sorts of areas in the city are having the same problem, but itB次元官网网址檚 got to the point where it affects everybodyB次元官网网址檚 business.B次元官网网址�
David Screech said itB次元官网网址檚 a steady problem at his neighbouring business on Government Street, where he recently found a pile of garbage that included multiple needles.
B次元官网网址淲e have containers that have been given to us to dispose of the needles properly, so we do that and we phone to have them taken away,B次元官网网址� Screech said. B次元官网网址淏ut it means essentially that I do the cleanup. IB次元官网网址檓 not going to ask our staff at the store to clean up that kind of mess. When it happens, itB次元官网网址檚 something I deal with. It is a steady, steady problem.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 have any suggestions,B次元官网网址� Impett said. B次元官网网址淣obody seems to.B次元官网网址�
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keili.bartlett@blackpress.ca
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