Letters to the editor...Pooch not to blame for messy state of local park

Dear editor, (This letter is in response to Andrea Dimonte's March 1 letter, Someone needs to clean up Georgetown). Andrea, I am one of those "ignorant" people who plays with her dog in the open field between Maple Ave. and Guelph Street. I'm confused as to how my dog chasing her little orange ball affects you as you drive by in your car? My dog is well-trained and is well-known in the area as a very friendly and gentle dog. Yes, while some owners do not pick up after their dogs and I dislike that as much as the rest, I ALWAYS pick up after her because dogs being dogs will sometimes eat things they shouldn't. I walk through the field at least twice a day, everyday, at all hours and I can assure you that it is not MY dog that drops beer bottles, beer cans, plastic pop, water and juice bottles, cigarette packages,Tim Hortons, KFC and McDonald's garbage all over the field. It is not MY dog that smashes beer bottles in the gazebo and leaves metal bottle caps on the floor. It is not MY dog who leaves homemade bongs under the two trees in the field and it is not MY dog who dragged two picnic tables from the gazebo over into the local Catholic high school smoking area. It was me, though, who picked up all of this garbage. It was me who spent 20 minutes over the Christmas holidays picking up the three beer bottles broken on the rocks by the gazebo that someone thought would be fun to smash into hundreds of pieces so that children and other animals didn't injure themselves. And it was me who called the Town after getting no response from the local Catholic high school to return the two picnic tables back to their original place. It is me that continually picks up the garbage I see every day, not just on Earth Day, but every day! So, Andrea, the next time you're driving by and you see me with my dog and her little orange ball, don't hesitate to stop and join me in keeping this particular field clean of garbage. I always have extra bags handy and could use the help because I don't see anybody else out here cleaning up. K. Hannah, Georgetown