Thursday, January 26, 2012

Dumping on OUR Playground !!!




Anyone who knows me knows I hate controversy. And also that I hate litter and dumping.But I really think some controversy needs to be stirred up a bit to get the dumping problem fixed on Turkey Mountain.

A year ago, a large group of volunteers cleaned up a lot--almost all of the dumped trash on the west side of our playground. This is where the gas-line has an easement so they can maintain their pipeline. Some lowlife losers had been using that road to dump their garbage.We got the gas people to agree to barricade the road, and they did so a few weeks later with large rocks. But that was not before two more piles of garbage was dumped--the two above pictures to be exact.

Since that time, more of these stupid clods have taken their pick-em-up trucks and made new roads into the woods just feet away from the rock barricades.And now, there are LOTS of roads, nooks and crannies to dump more trash. We just as well put up a free dumping sign, because that is what is happening.
Welcome to the westside trailz of Turkey Mountain. This is our newest batch of trash.
An old mattress so nasty I would want protective clothing and a mask to even STAND close to it.
Lots of splintered furniture, a smashed TV, and lots of papers. And yes, I did rummage through the papers looking for names.The top two pics are from the latest pile of garbage. The bottom three pics are from last years batch. Can these people be questioned? Of course they might not be the ones who dumped the trash, but they surely have an idea who did!! (Double click on the picture to enlarge them. Let me know if you know these people.)

I asked on Facebook if pursuing this crime was worth doing, and the overwhelming advice was to blow the whistle for what its worth. (Double click to enlarge the Facebook conversation.)

If this trash were being dumped at LaFortune Park, Woodward Park, even Mohawk Park, the Police and Sheriff's department would be all over it. They should be all over this area too. The Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness is a major attraction for Tulsa.This area has several trail races and mountain bike races and a LOT of out of town and out of state people come to these events. For the most part, they are amazed at our little slice of wilderness right in the middle of the city. But I am saddened that they have to see this. We should all be saddened.

What can be done? Already a clean up day is being organized, and I am confident that in a month, every morsel of trash will be gone. But how do we keep this from happening again?
1. Catching the idiots who do this would be AWESOME!!! I wish it were a priority for the TPD, or someone to do this.
2. Put up NO DUMPING sings with posted fines. Kinda sad that we have to do that, and even the signs would look trashy.
3. Put up a fence--chain link, barbed wire, more big rocks? Whatever is done, needs to go the whole length of 61st Street--especially if it looks like a truck could bushwhack through.
A hot-line where these low life people could be reported--and maybe even a reward for ratting them out. That's a stretch, I know. But I'd sure turn them in.

I intend to send this, along with a letter and pics to the TPD, Sheriff Dept, RiverParks, YMCA, and possibly the TV stations. I may be alone in this, but I doubt it. Let's all do what we can to fix this problem forever.

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