It's spring clean up time in Charlottetown and that means crap on the streets. It doesn't bother me so much, but a lot of people are understandably pissed of at how long it's taking the city to pick up the many piles of leaves, rusty fridges, and other assorted eyesores.
In one situation, a woman's daughter was getting married and she particularly concerned about the rubbish on her street as she would be entertaining at her house. She called her city councillor, who called the garbage people, who picked up some of it. Still, there was enough stuff let on the street to cramp the style of a good wedding party.
What's a good city councillor to do? He, his wife, and his youngest son get a truck and clean up the street themselves in time for the wedding. There were no cameras or reporters. He didn’t even tell anyone he did it.
While I am not the son who helped him with the trash, the city Councillor is my father, Bruce Garrity. Sure, he may double-click on web links (all the time!), but this genuinely impressed me.
Comments
Peter Rukavina - May 26, 2001 6:30 pm
Having working with your double-clicking father for the last three years on the Vacancy Information Service I can attest to his good-nature and kind heart.
Rob - May 26, 2001 9:53 pm
I would also like to give Bruce Garrity big ups. Though I'm not familiar with his work, when I was introduced to him, his handshake was quite potent. It sounds silly, but, of all the hands I've shaken his was one of the three I remember.<br><br>It started off as a firm, confident handshake saying "I'm strong and respectable" but then kinda slipped into a side-ways fingers-around-base-of-thumb shake which said "But I know how to keep it real".<Br><BR>Well done!
Vince - May 26, 2001 10:25 pm
Does Bruce Garrity have a personal email address? I'd like to send my thanks directly to him.
Steven Garrity - May 27, 2001 5:56 am
remember, he's my dad: <a href="mailto:bgarrity@gov.pe.ca">bgarrity@gov.pe.ca</a>
Dave Moses - May 27, 2001 11:43 am
Steve, you just reminded me of the heart-felt garbage campaigns wage by my recently-defeated and sadly-missed councilman Mike Duffy. I remember stories of him confronting spring cleaning offenders, garbage dumpers and nogoodniks of all kinds. Although politically cynical by nature, I'm still in a state of embarrassed denial of Mr Duffy's incomprehensible defeat in the last municipal election.
Everybody knows the date of the spring cleaning pickup. Islanders just don't care and put it out whenever the hell they please. (which appears to be five minutes after the winter snow melts) Kudos to your dad, Steve. May he continue to live up to the words the Mike Duffy spake immortally and eloquently one town council meeting: "Can we just do something that doesn't make us look like complete idiots!"
Matthew - May 28, 2001 12:03 am
Too much garbage? Not to worry. Just leave it in the street for a couple weeks - let the neighbour kids make it into a shanty town of musty matresses and tree branches.<P>
Pop cans may not litter our streets, but by god they would if we could just get our hands on enough of them to build a pile large enough obscure the sidewalk.
KJB - May 28, 2001 6:22 am
You'll never make council with that kind of impish borishness, Dorrell, you six-toed hack.
WBG - May 30, 2001 2:59 pm
what a guy
he probably got in with cow jokes and by acclimation...................