So here’s the picture. An innocent auto-body shop on Breezehill Avenue backs onto the OTrain cut. The slope behind the shop is littered with tires. Just look at the picture !
Now I am sure Japan Auto has nothing to do with the tire dumping. They aren’t a car tire shop are they? No, it must be people sneaking into their fenced yard at night and tossing them over the high chain link fence at the top of the slope. Or maybe it’s people somehow breaking onto the fenced OTrain right of way, missing the running trains while they roll their tires down the tracks, to heave them over the six foot chain link fence at this one particular spot. Or maybe errant boy scouts with a trebuchet are pitching tires right over the OTrain from the new MUP on the east side.
The slope shown is between two fences — the security fence along the OTrain track and the private fence at the top of the slope. I suspect the slope itself belongs to the City.
Now if such a situation was to occur along a main automobile road, how long do you think it would last? Can anyone supply a list of such locations? Indeed, does something similar occur anywhere along the transitway where noxious rubbish is dumped onto city greenspace? (Greenspace is a polite euphemism for neglected leftover plots of land that are unmaintained). I didn’t think so. I sure can’t picture any such spaces.
But along the OTrain corridor trash abounds. I guess no one powerful enough a City Hall actually rides the train, since if they did, surely they would have enough pride in their city to want the trash removed.
When citizens see ugly piles of trash or trashed public spaces, you can email 311.ca or call 311 and complain.
Thanks for noticing this Eric. I actually take the Otrain quite frequently, but not since the snow melted this year. Your post did not indicate whether you actually called 311, or called your Councillor’s office, so I have contacted head of bylaw. I would ask that you not further encourage calls to 311 from your readers as it seeks to tie up operators and increase waiting times for those othjer members of the public calling with urgent situations.
Thanks,
Katherine
I modified the final para. to encourage citizens to call 311 whenever they see piles of trash. I’m glad you are an OTrain user.
Wait, Katherine.
This response confused me. I appreciate your prompt action with bylaw on this (thank you). But when you say “I would ask that you not further encourage calls to 311 from your readers as it seeks to tie up operators and increase waiting times for those other members of the public calling with urgent situations.”
According to the City of Ottawa directory, 311 is EXACTLY the number to call for these – and a huge range of other non-urgent – concerns.
I copied and pasted the “Environment” section of the city’s online directory below:
Environment
Anti-Litter 311
Cleaning the Capital 311
Environmental Assessments 311
Graffiti 311
Hazardous Waste, Industrial Waste (liquid) 311
Noxious Weeds Control 311
Odour in premises/vicinity 311
Septic Tanks, Sewage Treatment 311
Spills 311
Biosolids Information Line (Ext 23257) 613-580-2424
Water Information Line (Ext 22300) 613-580-2424
Watershed Information 311
Source: http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/your-city-government/city-ottawa-phone-directory
I’m pretty sure “Noxious Weeds” are even less urgent than industrial dumping on City-Owned land (unless they’re Triffids of course).
So could you clarify whether we should or shouldn’t use the 311 service as listed?
All she meant was not to call about THIS incident as she has got City staff on the case.
Perhaps you missed Eric’s note that he CHANGED the final paragraph. The original post that the Councillor commented on called for people to call 311 about THIS incident.
All right, but the wording of her comment remains:
“I would ask that you not further encourage calls to 311 from your readers as it seeks to tie up operators and increase waiting times for those (sic)othjer members of the public calling with urgent situations.”
This site comes up very high in search rankings, so try Googling “Who do I call for tires Dumped in Ottawa”. You’ll see West Side Action is the first relevant result.
Dennis, the comment only looks out of place because Eric changed the last paragraph to be general, rather than specific in nature.
But for the sake of clarity:
On behalf of Councillor Hobbs, please report all incidents of illegal dumping or any other municipal concern, as outlined by Dennis above, to 311, email 311@ottawa.ca or use Service Ottawa online. One call or email is sufficient for a service request to be issued. If you require further assistance on an issue or you feel your request is not being taken care of, call your Councillor’s office for further assistance.
I wasn’t too pleased to read this post. Seemed that you were inferring that Takaki Automotive (could you not even get their name right?) – a company I have used and have always found fair and good were responsible. Shame on you for making an underhanded accusation.
I live in Chinatown. I live on a street where people feel it’s fine to come and park on our street, open their door, and throw trash out. I’ve seen it. I’ve picked it up and handed it back. I’ve watched someone open their trunk once and then proceed to take 3 boxes of trash out, place under their car and get ready to drive away. They didn’t get far til I sadly screamed at them and made them take their trash away. I’ve seen how through the night people will dump old tires on our street. It’s not necessarily an issue related to any company but more about how people do not care anymore about disposing of garbage. Toss it wherever they want – just not in their own neighbourhood. Take a walk through Chinatown and look at the trash that abounds. People need to have more care as do businesses.
If I might add to what Katherine asked. Did you call or stop in to ask Takaki what was up before you posted this? You didn’t tell us yes or no.
Grant, perhaps Eric can clarify, but the photo appears to be of the shop at 55 Breezehill — not Takaki Automotive.
Indeed Allan. I didn’t look closely at the name but at the tires. I got the name wrong. But still wonder was it them or others…..did anyone ask Japan Auto?
I did a story on Chinatown trash a short while ago. It got lots of comment — but did it generate any improvement? The amount of comment showed me people care about trashing public spaces, which encouraged me to do this piece. Garages are frequent culprits, IMO, with piles of trash in Arthur Lane , dumped toxic chemicals (again along the OTrain corridor, which in part led to a new fence as part of the Somerset reconstruction project) and the ever present tires issue. If we charge people to dispose of tires or fridges, it perversely creates an economic incentive to dump the trash. In my business life, I was a tennant at City Centre complex. We had to lock our garbage dumpsters or else they get filled up with mattresses and tires. Too many people think stealing dumpster space is amusing. It isn’t; nor is dumping tires. Personally, I hope the city doesn’t send a crew to remove the tires, but sends an inspector to force the auto shop to remove them and pay the disposal fee.
Okay. My apologies. I just looked at the photo again – it is indeed Japan Auto. Sorry ’bout that but my other reservations remain.
In response to calling 311- In a number of meetings with City staff, police and our City Councillor, we were encouraged strongly to call 311 for all incidences (including garbage, etc) . Calls logged through 311 are ‘trackable’ ie they help the CIty understand how many incidents are happening in a particular area, how many people are experiencing problems, etc. allowing (in theory) for better decision making and prioritization. So, in short, call 311 as often as you need to…
Good post. What was modified in response to Coun. Hobbs’s comment? Unless you were encouraging people to call 311 for idle curiosity or general complaints about littering, I can’t seen how any call to 311 to report an actual issue is not completely appropriate.
I suspect from reading between the lines that your original post encouraged people to call about this particular issue, which could have generated a lot of redundant calls. However, it should be clear that anyone seeing an unresolved issue should absolutely call or email 311 without hesitation. That’s what it’s there for.
Arthur Lane is a total trash pile… it appears mainly construction/renovation related material.
Whether it is Takaki’s, Japan Auto Service, Ming Auto (which shares 53 Breezehill with Japan Auto) or another of the many auto shops in the area why make the cheeky and unfounded slanderous accusations in your posting ?
I do use Japan Auto Service for my automotive repair needs and Frank is one of the most honest and straightforward business people I’ve ever dealt with. As quickly as you have jumped to the conclusion that it MUST be Japan Auto that is responsible I would jump to the conclusion that there is no way they are responsible.
See that fence at the top of the photo ? If you’d taken the time to check the City emap you’d know that that is where the property ends. Japan Auto does not own and is not responsible for the area photographed.
Is there any chance that perhaps one of the other auto shops in the area created the mess ?
Is there any chance that none of the other auto shops in the are created the mess and that was an act of dumping by someone we’ll never catch ?
Is there any chance that the garbage has been there since 1972 ?
Report on the mess. Notify the City. Heck even go question Frank if you have time on your hands. I commend you for this. But don’t start slandering upstanding businesses in your own neighbourhood without any proof of responsibility.
Last time I checked we live a “honest until proven guitly” society.
The tires were still there this morning….