A garbage dumper was caught in the act at St. Barnabas Church.
The Brow of the Hill church has long had problems with people dumping items such as mattresses and furniture outside the church. The church then has to pay to have the items taken to the dump.
“Our gardener, the wonderful and intrepid Carol, caught somebody red-handed dumping garbage off. We chased him down and we caught him, then we called the police,” Reverend Emilie Smith told the Record. “It was a very exciting afternoon at St. Barnabas.”
Before Smith could get through to the police non-emergency line, she spoke with the management of a nearby apartment building – where the fridge had come from.
“People need to know we are not a dump,” she said. “We are a beautiful place of worship.”
The city’s bylaw include a fine for people who are caught illegally dumping items in New Westminster.
“They have had to come and take their broken fridge away, but we still have a broken sofa there,” Smith said of the individual who was caught red-handed. “We thought we’d get word out into the community that we cannot get rid of your garbage.”
In 2014, Smith posted a tongue-in-cheek sign aimed at drawing attention to the fact the church isn’t a dumping ground for other people’s garbage and warned it could have electrifying consequences. “Do not drop your crap here… Management of St. Barnabas Church not responsible for lightning bolts,” read the sign.
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