Sidney by the Sea is an idyllic community–a peaceful haven for its residents, and a picturesque tourist destination for hosts of visitors every year.
But for Chris Stephen, a disturbing trend has evolved over time and she’s mounting a community event to help solve the problem.
“On Sept. 9 at 9 a.m., I’m inviting the mayor and councillors to join business owners and resident volunteers to come out with their rubber gloves and garbage bags to help clean up the streets,” said Stephen.
Concerned with what she saw as a deterioration of Sidney streets, she penned a letter to the Mayor and Council, spoke to fellow Beacon Ave. business owners, civic staff, and others to get a sense of what could be done.
“The truth is everyone has to take responsibility for their piece of the pie,” said Stephen.
As a store owner, Stephen regularly sweeps the sidewalk and gutters in front of her store and often seen with a bucket of soapy water, working to clean up the pee stains resulting from dog owners allowing their pets to urinate on her storefront.
“I don’t know if it’s a lack of awareness or just ignorance, but you can’t just let your pet do their business where ever they please,” she said.
Stephen contacted Brian Robinson, Sidney’s manager of public works about her concerns, and received an email reply in which he explained that the municipality makes regular efforts to clean the streets. He added that a civic by-law requires store owners to police the front of their establishments.
“Most business owners are actually very good about it, but there’s only so much we can do. Truthfully, there are only a few who don’t do their part.”
One thing that has disturbed Stephen is the silence from Mayor and most of Council to her letter and request for action.
“I took pictures, wrote a letter and emailed it to them all. The following day I received only one response and that was from Councillor Barbara Fallot,” recounted Stephen.
“She met me to do a walk-about so she could see what I was seeing.”
Neither the Mayor or any other Council members have responded to Stephen’s letter.
Stephen feels there are three parts to returning Sidney’s streets to a level of cleanliness of which the community can be proud.
Some business owners, she said, must step up and fulfill their responsibilities to clean the areas in from of their stores.
But individual residents and visitors also need to recognize their part in cleaning up the streets.
“Don’t discard cigarette butts, have consideration when you’re out with pets and don’t let them soil the streets and storefronts… and use trash receptacles for your garbage. That’s pretty simple, really,” said Stephen.
Finally, though, Stephen feels that the municipality needs to improve their attention to Sidney’s cleanliness.
Her inquiries to public works revealed that much of the work is done on an “as needed” basis and not a part of a regular service schedule. Staff capacity and budget restrictions were cited as the limiting factors behind that policy.
Her suggestion that receptacles for cigarette butts be placed on the street met with what she felt was an equally troubling response.
“I was told that ‘we’re trying to discourage smoking’… as if a lack of receptacles will keep people from smoking.”
Councillor Fallot attributes part of the problem to a long, dry summer and an increase in visitors to the community. Her take is that it really is a total community issue and to that end, Fallot has promised to be out for the Sept. 9 community clean-up.
She hopes that her fellow councillors will also show up as an example to others in the community.
“This really is a total community concern and a great idea,” said Fallot.
“It’s up to all of us to do our part.”
