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Trash cans no longer available at some state parks

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Carmen Preidt, a seasonal park employee, picks up trash in a restroom at Caesar Creek. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is asking people to take their own trash out of the park to save money on trash pick-up.

Staff photo by Ron Alvey Carmen Preidt, a seasonal park employee, picks up trash in a restroom at Caesar Creek. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is asking people to take their own trash out of the park to save money on trash pick-up.

State finds new low-cost trash-hauling service: You

By Steve Bennish, Staff Writer Updated 10:05 AM Tuesday, June 23, 2009

WAYNESVILLE, Warren County — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is so broke that it’s asking visitors to 30 or so state parks, including Caesar Creek and Cowan Lake, to pack up their trash and haul it out when they leave.

As the state struggles with a multi-billion dollar budget crisis, there’s no money to spare these days in ODNR’s budget for trash pick-up or the convenience of waste cans — at least not in the areas of the parks designated “day-use.”

That means just about anywhere outside the confines of paid campgrounds, where there is still trash pick-up. The thinking is that trash service should be included in the cost patrons shell out in campground rental fees.

This haul-as-you-go policy went into effect Memorial Day at Caesar Creek and Cowan Lake.

So the next time you’re at the parks and seek that familiar place to discard your abundant fast-food waste, you’ll find official signage explaining the new policy.

What you won’t find is a garbage can.

A visit to Caesar Creek on Friday, June 19, indicated that many patrons aren’t getting the message and the litter is piling up.

Brandi Whetstone, conservation program coordinator for the Sierra Club’s Ohio Chapter, said a long-term funding solution for the parks merits a public debate.

“The state needs to place more value on the parks and their benefits to the public,” she said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7404  or sbennish@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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We spend alot of time fishing at Rocky Fork and have seen the pigs and nasty people leave their trash lay. We actually saw a woman changing a diaper and sure enough she left the dirty one lay. Their children had thrown plastic pop and juice containers into the lake. As much as I wanted to tell them to pick up their trash, I decided not to, cause it was obvious they did not care and would have probably been ***** when told to pick up after themselves. Let's send the trash to the Governor!!!

Karen
2:28 AM, 8/2/2009

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I think taking the trash cans out of
the parks will make people trash it
more cause they wont want to take
their trash home with them.
It dont matter to me cause I
pick up after myself.

Beverly
12:56 AM, 7/3/2009

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I think taking the trash cans out of
the parks will make people trash it
more cause they wont want to take
their trash home with them.
It dont matter to me cause I
pick up after myself.

Beverly
12:55 AM, 7/3/2009

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There are a lot of people that are to lazy to pick up after themselves. They expect others to come behind and 'take care of it'. Look at all the trash on the roadways and people's yards. It gets thrown from vehicles. To many people just do not care. Thus one of the problems with why the government feels it has to 'run our lives'.

Suzie
9:23 AM, 6/24/2009

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Ohio is the only state I know of that does not charge for day use of its state parks, which is great...unless your broke. Florida charges a nominal fee (about $6 a carload). Perhaps Ohio should institute a fee for day use.

John
10:37 PM, 6/23/2009

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