Dear Editor,
Kemptville is very fortunate to have the Ferguson Forest Centre available to the public so we can stroll, run, walk our dogs, let our children run in the leaves. It is a beautiful place where photographers can capture the wildlife, different fungus growth, the coloured leaves, the changes of the season. On Thursday this past week, St Michael’s got to take advantage of the beautiful trails with their cross country run. There were at least eight to ten stations of high school students making sure runners stayed on the trails and didn’t go off the planned route. When the runners came through, there was a supervisor riding a bike letting walkers or anyone on the trail know that runners were coming. A great idea. I hope they had a great time.
So, with all this planning, why was there so much garbage left behind? Pizza boxes, Tim cups, McDonalds, as well as the candy wrappers and drink cans and bottles. On Friday, I went through the trail and picked up one full bag of garbage. That was half the trail of their planned route. I took this to St Michael’s and put forward my concern. On Saturday, I picked up a second bag of garbage from the other half of their route. Chairs from the school were still out there as of Saturday. Paid for with tax dollars.
Kids will be kids. But kids should be taught to respect public property. To be responsible. If they learn by example, I would have to say the supervisors of this run did not set a very good example and they really don’t care about the mess they left behind. I know not every student left their garbage, and for those that took it out, Thank you. To those that left it behind, shame on you. To the organizer of this run, shame on you as well.
Name withheld by request
