'We're all screwed:' citizen after Vaughan grass cut before litter collected

yorkregion.com
Aug. 30, 2017
By Tim Kelly

A York Region official says a citizen was right to complain about shoddy grass-cutting in Woodbridge that left more garbage after the job than before.

And, based on the citizen's complaint, the region sent staff out to clean up the mess they’d left behind and promised to pick up garbage before cutting in future - just as the citizen had said they should.

Carmen Angilletta, 53, who works in Woodbridge, couldn’t believe it when he saw a works crew out cutting the grass last week along Hwy. 7 near Martin Grove Road.

Angilletta said it’s a “pet peeve” of his when workers don’t pick up garbage before they cut. And he said when he drove by, the “amount of garbage just blew my mind. I couldn’t take it. They were cutting the grass before picking up the garbage. They were cutting everything, plastic bottles, typical highway type garbage.

“If we throw out one piece of garbage and create 10 by cutting it, we’re all screwed, we’re all going to be living in garbage,” he said.

Angilletta sent pictures into the City of Vaughan, but since Hwy. 7 is a regional road, his complaint was passed on to the Region of York for processing.

A response on the issue confirming that Angilletta was right when he said the garbage should be picked up before workers cut came from a York Region official on Tuesday.

Tim Machuletz, district manager - southwest, roads, transportation services for the Region of York said: “We appreciate the resident raising his concerns. The process in situations like this is for crews to pick up litter on site before cutting the grass. Crews were dispatched yesterday, Aug. 28, to pick up the litter on site before cutting the grassy area and were out again today, Aug. 29, as well.”

“Residents can visit York.ca/appcentre to download our York Region mobile app to report any problems they see on regional roads.”