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WILKES-BARRE — The “No Dumping” sign hasn’t deterred people from making a mess of the hillside along Thompson Street near Tony Castrine’s house.
The secluded area in the city’s North End has become a favorite spot for illegal dumping of mattresses, furniture and construction debris, raising the ire of Castrine and others.
“You wouldn’t want it in your neighborhood,” Castrine, 68, of Ralph Street, said Tuesday as he peered over the guide rail to point out the garbage hung up by the tree trunks on the bank.
Ten years ago Castrine and neighbors organized a cleanup of the land owned by the Luzerne County Redevelopment Authority. Wilkes-Barre Department of Public Works employees hauled away the trash. But it’s been a chronic problem due to the location and the lack of resources to prevent it.
Castrine has complained about it and so has city councilman Mike Merritt who represents District A. Their efforts have paid off when a work detail from the DPW crew showed up Monday afternoon.
“They only got so far,” Castrine said. They pulled out box springs and mattresses and cut down some trees, he said.
“They could spend a couple weeks here and it wouldn’t get it done,” Castrine said.
Still, it was a welcome sign something was being done.
Merritt promised to press the issue with Butch Frati, the city’s Director of Operations.
“I’ll keep bringing it up until it’s done,” Merritt said.
That could take some time, however.
Frati said DPW crews first take care of garbage and recycling pickups. Due to the staffing limitations a crew can’t be assigned just for the illegal dumping cleanup, Frati said.
The city shouldn’t even be doing it because it’s Redevelopment Authority property, Frati pointed out. Attempts to have the owner take care of it have been unsuccessful, he added.
“We’re just going to have to do it ourselves,” Frati said.
Andy Reilly, the executive director of the Redevelopment Authority, acknowledged it’s been tough to prevent illegal dumping on its property.
Equally difficult has been the inability to monitor the land along the 55 miles of railroad track it owns. Reilly said the Redevelopment Authority works with municipalities to police it.
“It is a problem, especially where it’s hidden,” Reilly said.
For a cleanup in Hanover Township, the Redevelopment Authority provided a garbage container and the municipality supplied the manpower, Reilly said. But a surveillance camera placed on top of a pole at the site was gone within 24 hours, he added.
“We’ll certainly do whatever we can,” Reilly said and that includes prosecuting people caught dumping illegally.
Castrine promised to keep watch in his neighborhood and keep on the city to finish the job.
“If they don’t I’ll be back down (at City Hall) again. I’m going to make them so sick of seeing me,” Castrine said.
