I am writing to urgently address the deplorable state of the west side of the Otonabee River as it runs through downtown Peterborough. The current condition of this area, littered with refuse and junk, is nothing short of a shameful mess that not only tarnishes the beauty of our city but also poses serious environmental and safety concerns. The sight of trash strewn along the riverbank is a disgrace to our community and a blight on the natural landscape that we hold dear.

The once picturesque shore, now marred by refuse and neglect, is a stark reminder of our collective failure to uphold our responsibility as stewards of the environment. The sheer volume of people I’ve seen today walk by this mess and do nothing saddens me.

I get that the parks department is busy clearing snow but it hasn't snowed for a few weeks now, just saying. Wish more people would care (especially students) and act now and clean it up right away. The cracked and decaying stones forming the riverbank serve as a visible testament to years of neglect and lack of proper maintenance. It is deeply concerning to witness the deterioration of such a vital natural asset, and urgent action is needed to address this pressing issue. I implore the City of Peterborough to prioritize the cleanup and restoration of the west side of the Otonabee River. This includes the immediate removal of the litter and debris that have accumulated along the riverbank, as well as the assessment and repair of the damaged stones to prevent further erosion. 

The unsightly mess that currently plagues the west side of the Otonabee River is not only a blight on our city but also a threat to the health and well-being of our environment. It is imperative that we take decisive action to rectify this situation and restore the beauty and integrity of our cherished natural spaces. Just the other day as I did one of my regular clean ups by the waterfront I witnessed at least a dozen or MORE people have discarded cigarette butts either in the water or ground near me. Odd that so many feel that they are biodegradable when they certainly are not. A real anomaly they are not thought of as trash and certainly don't belong on the ground or in our water.

Can I pay for some environmental students and profs to test our lake water in Peterborough to see how truly polluted it's getting? After multiple underground mysterious oil spills and leaks our city (us as taxpayers) were on the hook to clean it up at a cost of 2 million dollars, yet the beaches were still closed all summer long due to the water's contamination. A new Canadian student asked me if they caught some fish out of Little Lake whether they be safe to eat and sadly I didn't know the answer. I urge the City of Peterborough to allocate the necessary resources and manpower to initiate a comprehensive cleanup and restoration effort without delay. Our community deserves better, and it is our duty to ensure that the Otonabee River bank is preserved for generations to come. 

I make it a point to clean the waterfront at least 2 or 3 times a week because I simply care and I'm just getting sick and tired of it and need to show the rest of the city what I have to contend with on a regular basis. Let's rally the students to get behind this protecting of our local waters here in town. 

Wish others in this community I love so much would show a concerted effort to pitch in a bit more. Is that too much to ask? I can only imagine how much trash, rubbish and goodness knows what ends up our once clean precious Little Lake? It alarms me how many people strongly feel that cleaning up the parks and waterfront initiatives should only be done in the spring and I just wish I would see more Trent/SSFC students were out there cleaning up regularly if at all possible to show that you care for our environment.

Kindest regards, love your paper by the way...thank you for keeping it interesting.

Jim Reedyk

Editor's Note: Jim articulated to Arthur that he would like to emphasize that any students or community members exercise caution when participating in garbage cleanup efforts around Little Lake owing to the possibility of needles.