A Quick Pickup at Hinckley

I intended it to be a quick pickup. I have vacation this week so I figured - why not go to Hinckley and pick up before the snow flies? I have an hour or so. The snow started to come down and I trekked over to Hinckley. Scooby hadn't been there in a while and was happy to be back.

I was armed with my small garden digger for the stubborn poops, work gloves, a lot of old Hannaford bags and one of the BIG Christmas Tree Shop shopping bags, surely this would be enough. But it wasn't.

When it was all said and done I had in my possession:

• .50 cents in returnable bottles
• a steel stove top burner cover
• a broken plastic hubcap
• LOTS of candy and gum wrappers
• several cigarette packages and wrappers
• And two bags of poop. One was a Hanafford bag stuffed to the brim, the other was the BIG Christmas Tree Shop bag about 3/4 full. I had to stop filling it because I could no longer carry it.

The #1 most aggravating thing I found during my cleanup was about 15 bags of poop, all tied up and THROWN INTO THE TREES AND BRUSH. Believe it or not someone or some people actually pick up their poop in a bag then tie it up and throw it into the woods or leave it on the side of the trail. I used to walk at Hinckley every day and I would find at least one bag a day left by a person I affectionately nicknamed "The Poop Ghost". A woodland walker who is too good to carry their own bag of poop out of the park. I guess others will literally pick up after him or her. Amazing how rude some people can be.

I met a couple of people during my two hours of cleanup time. One woman offered to help with the group. Perfect! We have lots to do this spring! We want to keep access to Hinckley too! We have a city councilor who in the past has been very interested in restricting dogs to small portions of the park or banning them all together. I don't think people who walk at Hinckley know there really is a risk of losing the ability to walk our dogs off-leash in this wonderful park.

Many people walk at Hinckley to avoid the conflict at Willard Beach. Ironic since Hinckley park complaints come in as well as Willard complaints, especially about pet waste being left behind by irresponsible owners and dogs without owner supervision.

Please pass the word on to all Hinckley Park walkers, pick up and carry out - every time. And please bring an extra bag to help get a head start on spring cleaning.

-Crystal