University City residents woke up the day after Christmas to piles of trash overflowing from recycle bins at the beloved Standley Community Park.
But they say this is not just a post-holiday one-off.
The three bins are at the entrance to the park, on Governor Drive. Longtime resident Barry Bernstein says they overflow at least three times a week.
"Every motorist, bicyclist, walker, they're going to be having to look what is a community eyesore," he said.
Bernstein said the street-side location also makes an easy invitation for people to dump off their junk. He's seen stoves and couches among the recyclables.
He and other residents are blaming the city for the ongoing problem. They say recycling collection trucks aren't coming enough, so residents themselves are cleaning up overflowing trash. Bernstein, president of the University City Community Association, said he'd like to see the bins moved behind walls.
He even recently moved the bins about 30 feet from the curb himself, only for city crews to move them back.
"Obviously we all have pride in where we live, and we know how that impacts how other people feel," he said.
City spokesman Tim Graham said the city is looking into doing collections six days a week, but even then the crews would only pick up what's in the bins. He said city workers have to come and pick up illegally dumped items separately, and he said they try to do that on mornings during the work week.
Bernstein said he hopes the bins are moved if proposed park improvements move forward. Graham said the bins location near the street are best for pick-up crews, and so far the city hasn't approved any projects.
