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Editor,
Today's topic has struck a very sensitive nerve for me and I have no words to adequately describe the utter arrogance and stupidity coming out of the county office.
I first wrote to the mayor who forwarded my objections to the county. I received a non-reply which basically missed the point and went on to state their official propaganda tacitly suggesting the residents don't know what's good for them.
I have simply given up trying to make sense of this. They suggest they have conducted extensive studies and that the majority of communities agreed on what I'm calling "boxcar" bins. In fact, the city of Guelph which at one time I called home did offer smaller, more practical bins to anyone who wanted them. So much for "studies."
My household is comprised of two people – my wife and I and two small Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. The amount of recycling and garbage we produce is minuscule, as is the space in my garage.
I have had a woodworking hobby for many years since retiring from the Canadian Forces. Over the years I have invested financially in a number of good quality pieces of woodworking machinery and stock material. This, along with a rider mower, snowblower, other gardening and house maintenance tools occupies one entire half of my garage. The other half is for our vehicle.
The "boxcars" cannot be placed at the one side of my house because the ground slopes away and to place them on the opposite side would mean placing them in direct view and proximity to my neighbour's dining/living area, which I refuse to do and would be impractical during the winter months.
So, I along with a couple of neighbour's have decided to place them in front of the garage door that is always closed. I have been told this is unsightly and wrong. We are in a standoff and feel the pain and frustration of all others who are experiencing this abject failure by the Simcoe County officials who began to have labour problems a couple of summers ago and subsequently handled that problem so badly that today we are forced to accept these monstrosities and blathering bull.
And by the way, those of us elders (I'm now 83) who put the trash out the night before are going to have it tough when following heavy snowfalls and the plow comes by in the wee hours of the morning and overturns and buries these bins in snow.
I wish I knew where the dim light bulb that came up with these one-for-all bins lives, I'd love to park them at the end of their driveway!
Mario Bonifacio
Wasaga Beach ON
