One of the big differences I’ve noticed between living in the suburbs and living in the exciting and vibrant West End is the matter of garbage. It would seem, by looking up and down the alleys, that many residents do not know how to handle their garbage. This is most disconcerting when, while many residents are promoting the idea of people moving to this neighborhood, they let the alley behind their home fill with garbage from overturned cans, rotting leaves and branches, broken fences, etc., etc., etc. The most offensive sight to prospective homeowners is looking into the alley behind the home they are viewing, and seeing a lot of trash and garbage. This happened to a family visiting us, and, needless to say, they were not impressed with the neighborhood no matter how many names we dropped!
In defense of our West End it has to be stated that the suburbs do have fewer alleys but maybe we could handle our garbage in much the same way as they. Does our garbage have to stand in the alley for 3 or 4 days waiting for children, dogs, the garbage truck, or rats? (Whoever gets there first.) Why can’t we bring our garbage to the alley at night before or the morning the truck arrives? Or at least have tight fitting lids on the cans, and cans positioned or fenced in so they can’t be tipped over? It would at least cut down on the chances of the children, the dogs, or the rats getting to it first.
I am finding myself becoming rather militant about the matter when picking up after my neighbors who are promoting our West End with the front of their homes, but promoting nothing but rats in the alley in back of their homes.
— Paul Brammeier
Original photograph caption
Original “Seen & Noted” alley photographs printed below the letters in The Paper, February 1973, page 2. No location or individual photographer is credited.
Originally published in The Paper, February 1973.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1973_02.pdf, printed page(s) 2.
