Councillor urges community to keep it clean
October 23, 2025 at 3:47 AM
It takes a village to keep that village clean.
After noticing some issues of illegal dumping, general littering and municipal waste bins not getting picked up in his ward and towards Ridgeway, Councillor Tom Lewis is reminding the public, his fellow councillors and town staff that it takes the vigilance of everyone to keep the community clean and pristine.
An overflowing garbage can at the Lakeshore Road entrance to Waverly woods last March. Credit: Kris Dubé“I think it comes down to the municipality, the corporation and individuals,” he said at Monday’s council meeting. “I really hope that we do make it a priority, it is the first thing people see when they come into our community.”
With budget deliberations coming up, Lewis said he hopes it’s part of the discussion.
“That’s definitely an issue we’re going to need to be discussing during our budget deliberations,” said Mayor Wayne Redekop.
Ensuring both better pickup by town staff but also extending it to the community and making it a broader initiative could be options, he said.
Years ago the town had a “don’t be a litter bug” campaign that was run in conjunction with Communities in Bloom. Redekop said it might be time to see if the community is ready to re-engage with that program.
The mayor went on to say those budget discussions may also include conversations around town parks and what is offered in winter parks. That could mean keeping washrooms open and waste receptacles available.
“Because people don’t stop walking their dogs, they don’t stop taking their children out, they don’t stop having to dispose of waste, so we have to be mindful of that,” he said.
CAO Chris McQueen said the issue isn’t unique to Fort Erie, though it takes on a little more importance here.
“Certainly with the amount of tourists and people coming in to enjoy the area it’s very important for us to be focused on clean, enjoyable areas for people to come in and visit and enjoy,” he said.
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About The Author
Luke Edwards
Luke Edwards is a longtime Niagara community journalist who has covered a variety of beats, including business, agriculture, the wine industry and politics. When not writing, there's a good chance he can be found at a baseball diamond or curling rink.
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