PHOTOS: Canada Day leaves big mess to clean up in Regina

Thousands of people left their mark after Canada Day celebrations in Regina’s Wascana Centre.

However, besides pride, that also included garbage – a lot of it.

“It’s awful. I’ve never seen it so bad. It just is sad,” said one person walking by the lake the morning after. “It’s people just not being respectful of the environment. You brought it with you, take it with you.”

On Thursday morning, the park looked more like a dump. Garbage bins were overflowing or tipped over. Pizza boxes and Styrofoam were scattered over the green grass.

Dozens of seagulls and geese were picking at it all.

Those strolling by weren’t impressed.

“It’s pretty disgusting. Why do people do that?,” questioned another woman.

“I think it’s people being lazy, not caring, somebody else will do this for me,” agreed her walking partner.

Wascana Centre Authority CEO Bernadette McIntyre estimated how there were roughly 10,000 visitors to the park to take in the festivities, guessing that number would have likely doubled at night in anticipation of the fireworks.

“The litter is pretty normal for that size of crowd,” she admitted.

McIntyre said grounds staff patrolled all day and extra garbage bins were put out, although she conceded maybe a few more could have been put out.

The celebrations lasted well after midnight and she outlined how staff couldn’t get back on the site until the next morning. With black trash bags laid out, picking sticks in hand and wearing bright orange vests, crews were indeed out early Thursday morning. McIntyre explained how they started at 6:45 a.m., expected to be there all day.

KMartel@rawlco.com
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