The past weekend's sunny weather was a welcome respite from the rain for many Vancouverites and people were out in force taking full advantage of the city's beaches and parks.
But, for officials, the aftermath of Saturday's sunshine was something of a headache, to say the least.
"Park Board crews, along with City Sanitation, were out from daybreak on Sunday to return parks and beaches to a safe and hygienic standard for all users," a spokesperson for the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Board of Parks and Recreation tells V.I.A.
Crews were working to prevent debris from spreading into communities and the surrounding shoreline, and from becoming an attractant to wildlife.
Beach-goers left an 'incredible amount of garbage'
Photos and videos show hordes of people crowding the sand at English Bay and Kits Beach followed by large amounts of garbage and bags filled with empty cans left behind.
"While we thank everyone who disposed of their garbage properly, we were really disappointed to see such an incredible amount of garbage including food, packaging and BBQ equipment left on the city's beautiful public spaces," says the spokesperson.
The mess occurred just days after the Board's unanimous vote to allow alcohol at 47 parks and six beaches.
While there is a ban on glass, the new policy is expected to cost the City $84,000 (which will be absorbed into the Parks Board's budget) with some of that money being put towards new totes to collect waste but they won't be in place until June 1.
"Sanitation has increased service levels by adding additional bins to popular beaches and seawalls and destination parks and has increased the number of service visits," explains the spokesperson. "Both Park Board and Sanitation teams will be monitoring high-traffic locations throughout the summer and adjusting service levels on a regular basis."
Some locals that the park and beach garbage facilities were not sufficient to accommodate the demand of the crowd and suggest that overflowing trash receptacles don't encourage people to dispose of their waste responsibly.
Regardless, the Park Board asks that no matter the weather people help to keep parks and beaches clean by packing out what they bring in and dispose of all trash in the nearest available garbage, recycling or organics bin.
Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»gets one sunny weeekend and we alive again 😂 tag your vancouver friends 🥰
With files from Brendan Kergin
