Jeff Muller (left) and Shyvano Joly are hoping to see a lot of people lend a hand this Saturday to help clean up the Ripley/Madden Lake area, which has been used as a landfill by some irresponsible campers who leave their garbage behind.
Lyonel Doherty photo
Two Oliver men with a cause are asking for help in cleaning up a couple of recreational areas being used as garbage dumps.
Jeff Muller and Shyvano Joly invite hunters, campers, anglers and motorized vehicle users to lend a hand cleaning up Ripley and Madden Lake on Saturday, April 18.
Muller, an avid outdoorsman, has seen first-hand what some people have done to these areas. For example, people have dumped couches, mattresses and multiple bags of garbage at these sites.
Muller said it’s not uncommon to see four or five bags of garbage while traversing some of the trails.
“Campers are leaving garbage behind. People take truck loads (up there) and are dropping them off,” Muller said, questioning whether these individuals are too cheap or too lazy to take their refuse to the landfill.
Area C director Terry Schafer has been lobbying against this behaviour for years.
“The type of illegal dumping that goes on in our backroad areas drives me crazy.”
Schafer ends up picking up a lot of this garbage, but frankly he can’t keep up with the litterbugs.
“I’m not sure what can be done to dissuade that kind of behaviour but I’ll take it up with colleagues and staff at the next RDOS meeting.”
Schafer said he’s delighted to hear that a cleanup crew is scheduled to make a difference on April 18.
Joly said they are asking people to show up at 9 a.m at Ripley Lake with a pair of gloves. He’s hoping to see a number of people, even children, chip in to clean up these “sensitive” areas.
Muller said they will load up trailers with the garbage, hoping the regional district will “waive” the dumping fees at the landfill.
He is also hoping to organize a public meeting of outdoor enthusiasts to raise awareness of the issue.
Another topic of potential discussion is the damage done by people who like to go mud-bogging in the area.
Joly pointed out that “every piece of grass you crush is not coming back.”
In terms of leaving garbage behind, Muller said people tend to point the finger at motorized vehicles users. But he stated that motorbike riders don’t carry bags of garbage on the back of their vehicles.
Another issue of concern Muller raised is the actions of 40-50 youth who recently left a “disgusting mess” on Oliver Mountain during a party. This party involved the burning of pallets, he pointed out. However, he praised a small group of youth who cleaned up afterwards.
Those wanting to participate in Saturday’s cleanup can bring a lunch and enjoy nature the way it was intended to be.
Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Chronicle
