A group of campers left everything behind, but the kitchen sink on a Port Renfrew beach last weekend.
B次元官网网址淐ertain people think coming out to Port Renfrew to camp is a ticket to the wild west,B次元官网网址� said Victoria resident Cynthia Carlsen, who lives in Port Renfrew for half of the year.
B次元官网网址淚n the summer, or any time there is a long weekend or event out here, some people will set up camp in unsupervised areas and suddenly, all things go. They think they can do whatever they want because the likelihood of them being held accountable is realistically pretty slim.B次元官网网址�
She described an incident that took place last weekend, where vehicle and camper parts, garbage, a mattress, lawn chairs, beer cans and boxes, and even fecal matter and female hygiene products were left in an area along Gordon River Road.
B次元官网网址淭hey also tore down a bunch of trees in their path, which is how I assume their bumper got ripped off,B次元官网网址� said Carlsen. B次元官网网址淚t seems like as soon as they got some alcohol in them they went crazy. A campsite shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be any different than a hotel room in my opinion, you should take out what you bring in.B次元官网网址�
CarlsenB次元官网网址檚 friend found the trashed area and did his best to clean it up. He sent photos of the mess to Carlsen, which she posted on social media.
B次元官网网址淚 believe if we can maximize exposure to this ongoing problem, plus provide a bit of insight and education as to how exactly their actions harm the environment, then maybe people will smarten up,B次元官网网址� said Carlsen.
B次元官网网址淓very year this problem is anticipated. ItB次元官网网址檚 been going on forever, but as more people find out about Port Renfrew, and we see higher volumes of campers, the problem seems to get worse,B次元官网网址� explained Carlsen, adding that during the summer months is when the garbage issue is most prominent.
Mike Hicks, electoral director for the Juan de Fuca, said the Capital Regional District does its best to discourage people from leaving and dumping their garbage out in the bush, but itB次元官网网址檚 a constant and ongoing battle.
B次元官网网址淚f we catch someone, we do everything we can to make sure they are prosecuted,B次元官网网址� said Hicks, adding that if someone is caught leaving a mess they can face a $10,000 fine.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no excuses for it. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a transfer station on the side of the road when youB次元官网网址檙e leaving Port Renfrew, thereB次元官网网址檚 one in Sooke, Langford, all over. It probably costs these people just as much in gas to take it out to the bush as it would to take the garbage to a dump, because IB次元官网网址檓 sure itB次元官网网址檚 not the local people doing it.B次元官网网址�
Hicks added that the problem is happening all over in rural areas of the CRD, and itB次元官网网址檚 frustrating for locals who are left to clean up the mess.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a real plague on society, this type of silly, stupid, irresponsible behaviour,B次元官网网址� said Hicks. B次元官网网址淭here are about 360,000 people in the CRD and I think itB次元官网网址檚 a very small percentage of them that are ruining it for everyone. I donB次元官网网址檛 know what the solution is, I think the only way things will change is through social pressure.B次元官网网址�
Carlsen agreed, saying: B次元官网网址淎 picture is worth a thousand words, and the photos we have really show the ignorance of people. I guess all we can do is keep shaming them, and hopefully they will get caught.B次元官网网址�
She added that the repetitive devastation left behind in the area has left residents feeling like they are running in circles trying to find a solution.
B次元官网网址淲e could monitor the areas and try to enforce the law better, but we donB次元官网网址檛 really want to have to do that,B次元官网网址� said Carlsen.
B次元官网网址淚 know that police come out here on the long weekends, so maybe they could make that part of their routine. They could write down licence plates if they find a group camping in an unsupervised area, and warn them if they leave a mess behind they will be fined.B次元官网网址�
Sooke RCMP say they are always monitoring the area over the long weekends, but this weekend in particular was very busy for them.
RELATED:
Police responded to 68 calls, including a man brandishing a hammer at campers in Port Renfrew, and numerous reports regarding a female being struck by a vehicle on the Pacific Marine Road, near Port Renfrew, who possibly lunged in front of the vehicle.
Over the night of Monday and Tuesday, 10 vehicles were broken into at the parking lot of Sombrio Beach. Vehicle windows were smashed in during the thefts, and locked glove boxes pried open.
Nine of the weekend complaints were traffic related, including a racing motorcycles, erratic driving, excessive speeding, and impaired driving. There were only car crashes reported.
RELATED:
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
Like us on and follow us on
