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LETTERS: Not up to New Westminster merchants to clean up after smokers at parklet

Editor: Just read the letter regarding smoking at the Belmont Street parklet. I agree, it has turned into a giant ashtray, but it shouldn’t be up to the merchants in the area to clean it up (unless their staff is contributing to the mess).
Lisa Finnigan
Parklet
The Belmont Street parklet featured a "porch and lawn" design when installed in 2016. In response to issues,, some of the items have been removed since then - and the parklet is now set for a redesign to address community concerns.

Editor: Just read the letter regarding smoking at the Belmont Street parklet. I agree, it has turned into a giant ashtray, but it shouldn’t be up to the merchants in the area to clean it up (unless their staff is contributing to the mess). There are plenty of garbage cans in the area for smokers to clean up their own messes.

Also, if the city has enough in its budget to put signs all over the place reminding dog owners to pick up after their dogs, there shouldn’t be a problem getting the bylaws enforced at Belmont regarding cigarette butts.

Bylaw enforcement wouldn’t hurt on Columbia Street, either; it’s really disgusting, and the patch of grass ostensibly reserved for dogs to do their business is even used for cigarette butt disposal.

Lisa Finnigan, New Westminster