As another spring approaches, the litter on the ground around us is revealed.
Meanwhile, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority is using tax dollars to build a waterfront trail around the city of Toronto, and along the Scarborough Bluffs. They call it erosion control. However, it’s really a waste of money.
The TRCA has been working with the city and is paid with this money to maintain and create waterfront trails around the Greater Toronto Area.
Instead of building a waterfront trail, the city should be cleaning up the beaches that surround the city, and the litter along them, especially in Scarborough.
The city seems to use it as a dump for rock, concrete, and metal.
One of the most neglected and polluted beaches is the one at Galloway and Guildwood beneath the bluffs. The beach is littered with beer bottles and graffiti, and the water is full of E. coli. There is also a chemical plant nearby, which could easily be dumping chemicals into the water.
People fear to swim in Lake Ontario because of the water pollution. This is highly unfortunate, especially during the hot summer.
It would be energy efficient and environmentally friendly to clean up the beaches and treat the water, rather than have people go swimming in chlorine-filled pools. The chlorine used in swimming pools can damage skin and sting eyes, while freshwater lakes are theoretically less harmful.
However, with all the pollutants dumped in the lake and along beaches, they are even more harmful to humans and wildlife. And fewer people can even use public pools anymore, since so many of them are closing down permanently as a way to save tax dollars.
The city is wasting money building useless concrete waterfront trails.
If the city wants to use taxes to protect the environment they should actively employ workers to clean up Toronto’s beaches. By doing so, they would also be helping the economy by creating more jobs, greener jobs.
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photo gallery
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 A beach surveyor stands in front of a piece of concrete, which has graffiti on it. (Selena Mann/Toronto Observer) |
 Litter on the Galloway and Guildwood beach. (Selena Mann/Toronto Observer) |
 The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and City of Toronto are doing erosion control work along the bluffs at Galloway and Guildwood. (Selena Mann/Toronto Observer) |
 Pieces of metal are scattered along the beach and in the lake. (Selena Mann/Toronto Observer) |
 Pieces of metal are scattered along the beach and in the lake. (Selena Mann/Toronto Observer) |
 Pieces of concrete and tile litter the beach. (Selena Mann/Toronto Observer) |
 Rocks, concrete, brick and rubble, dumped by the TRCA and City of Toronto, cover the naturally occurring sand. (Selena Mann/Toronto Observer) |
 A metal sign on the beach. (Selena Mann/Toronto Observer) |
 More litter dumped by passersby and washed ashore. (Selena Mann/Toronto Observer) |
 More litter dumped by passersby and washed ashore. (Selena Mann/Toronto Observer) |