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Hungry Hollow has been the meeting place for teen- agers for many years. But recently, activity that was once playful has shifted to different strands of illegal. Over the last couple of years, Hungry Hollow has become a busy place for people walking dogs or en- joying the weather. In the past, teenagers would fre- quent the trails, meeting up with friends to unwind. But recently, residents living beside Hungry Hollow have noticed a shift in its use. By following the main trail, residents can see streams, a little wildlife and can barely hear the traffic driving along Mountainview Rd. But stray a little bit from the main trail and forts -- some people have come to call 'drug dens'-- have been set up. Many have been torn down, leaving water bottles, pop cans, broken chairs and more garbage hang- ing in trees and drowning in the nearby ravine. But one still stands, completely camouflaged in broken tree branches ripped, and sometimes sawed, from trunks, housing several chairs and a table in com- plete seclusion. From its appearance, it doesn't look like much: a hangout for local teens. But according to a resident who fears her home will be vandalized if she is iden- tified, some of those belongings once sat in the back- yards of nearby homes. "The nature of the teens down there has changed over the years. They're more destructive and they're building drug dens," she said, noting she has had furniture stolen from her backyard. "It's a different focus: they're not down there playing and having fun." Dave Rion, who moved to Georgetown almost three years ago, was walking his two dogs through Hungry Hollow recently when he stumbled upon a man who appeared to be participating in drug use. Since then, he hasn't walked through Hungry Hol- low without his dogs and advises others to do the same. "If it's just kids drinking, it's whatever," he said. "It's the people that are down on their luck and are camping and living down here who I'm worried about." Halton Hills Interim Commissioner of Commu- nity and Corporate Services Warren Harris said from the Town's point of view, not much can be done oth- er than tearing down the structures. "We would work with police in an instance like this," he said, asking people who see the activity to report sightings so police can monitor or conduct surveillance. Pa ge 2 0 T hu rs da y, N ov em be r 1 9, 2 01 5 - T he IF P - H al to n H ill s - w w w .th ei fp .c a NEWS Hungry Hollow home of possible drug activity By Kathryn Boyle kboyle@theifp.ca TRASHING HUNGRY HOLLOW: Structures, much like the top photo, have been showing up off the main trails in Hungry Hollow. When abandoned, garbage is left behind on the ground, in the ravine and in the trees, as seen in the bottom photo. Photos by Kathryn BoyleContinued on page 21