Dear Editor:
I have lived in this beautiful city most of my life. However, having recently moved to the heritage district of Sapperton, I am appalled at the constant pile of furniture, mattresses and garbage strewn along the lanes and alleys above East Columbia Street near the intersection of Braid Street and East Eighth Avenue.
It seems there has been an epidemic of bed bugs in the area (as well as in my building) and to save money, residents are disposing of their infested belongings in the lanes below and around my building.
I complained to the health department regarding this eyesore and the debris was finally taken away. As of today, however, there is a new collection of couches and broken furniture piling up once again.
I believe it is up to the landlords of apartment buildings to act upon eliminating any insect problems that may arise. Worse, it is criminal to rent out accommodation with the full knowledge of such problems and then turn a blind eye, leaving renters to cover the cost of keeping these unwanted and particularly disgusting pests at bay. Shame on you all. Maybe you should be paying for the endless cost of washing and drying laundry suspected of harbouring these blood-sucking unwanted squatters. As they should have said, "If you've seen one, you haven't seen them all!"
Carla M. Clark, New Westminster
