Residents have been complaining on social media about their garbage being ripped apart and thrown all over the sidewalks and streets in downtown Galt, but it's an issue the city says it's already familiar with.
In posts to social media, members of the community have been calling on the city to implement new ways to prevent their garbage and its contents from ending up on display for everyone to see.
"Just another day working and countless emails to the city of downtown Cambridge … and yeah it stinks too," wrote one resident who was upset with what they saw earlier this week while on a walk around the downtown.
Savannah Payne saw the post and immediately recognized the garbage and bins that were scattered over the sidewalk near the back entrance of George's Chinese Restaurant on Dickson Street, because they belong to her.
"This happens every week, it’s horrible," said Payne. "I moved downtown in March 2022 and it’s been an ongoing problem. Some mornings I wake up and every garbage bag and can is torn to shreds and all over the street."
Residents are saying this has become a regular event and they don't know how to stop people from tearing apart their garbage and help keep downtown clean.
"The city is aware that this is occurring," wrote Michael Hausser, director of operations for infrastructure services in an email to CambridgeToday. "We continue to collaborate with our partners at the Region of Waterloo along with the BIAs on options to mitigate this, including with the next waste management services contract."
Another concerned resident, Janet Power has lived in Cambridge nearly her entire life and has seen firsthand the situation deteriorating.
"I have called the city, been to council meetings and not a thing is done, only allowing these disgusting situations to continue," Power said.
Garbage collection is a regional responsibility and the manager of waste collection services, Dave Johnstone, said their crews are spread out across the region every morning, six days a week to collect garbage.
"Unfortunately we do get the occasional complaint of people making a mess," Johnstone said. "For the region’s service, it would help if customers placed their bags to the curb as late in the evening as possible for our early morning collection. That would reduce the time it sits at the curb where people may disturb it."
Johnstone didn't speculate on why it's happening but confirmed it's people making the mess, not animals.
Most residents who put their empty beer and liquor containers to the curb, make it visible in recycling so it can easily be taken by anyone collecting it for the deposit.
It's unclear what individuals hope to find in closed, black garbage bags.
The region is trying to work with the city and local BIAs to come up with ideas on how to better clean the downtown cores. This includes collaboration for the future of waste collection services in the downtown area.
The downtown BIA did not respond to our request for comment.
The next contract for waste management is due to renew in 2026. The region has already approved measures to make collection easier with an automated cart collection system.
This would allow for a more efficient way of collecting garbage, but would still only come bi-weekly.
For now, residents like Power and Payne are left to continue having their garbage emptied out onto the street until waste collection can come and clean it up.
