TOLEDO, Ohio – A massive pile of trash that had accumulated in the heart of a Toledo neighborhood for several months has finally been cleared, much to the relief of local residents. The unsightly mound of waste, which had become a growing concern for many in the community, was cleaned up after the city responded to growing frustration among neighbors.
Russell Petrey, a resident who lives near the corner of Emerald and Maumee, described the area as a long-standing dumping ground. He explained how outsiders would routinely dispose of their garbage in the area, seemingly with the belief that the neighborhood, often seen as struggling, “deserved” the litter. “They’ve never thought of this as a good neighborhood, so the people just come by and throw trash in it,” Petrey said. “And they say, ‘Well, this neighborhood deserves it.'”
Frustrated with the ongoing problem, Petrey reached out to the 13 Action News I-TEAM in January. After the station aired a story highlighting the issue, the city of Toledo acted swiftly, sending crews to clean up the mess.
Petrey believes that the media attention played a key role in accelerating the cleanup. “Well, they came out here shortly after we talked and they got to cleaning this up real good,” he said. “I think me talking to you had a lot to do with it. Because if you hadn’t come out and put it on the news, that garbage would have probably piled up about 20 feet tall.”
The city confirmed that the property, one of several affected by the abandonment of burned-down homes, was part of an ongoing effort to address neglected areas in the city. Toledo is in the process of cleaning up 16 such properties, which have been eyesores for residents like Petrey and his neighbors.
Anna Geiner, another local resident, expressed her gratitude after seeing the area restored to a cleaner state. “It was a wonderful feeling to go down there and just see flat. No garbage,” she said, relieved that the unsightly pile of trash was finally gone.
As the cleanup wraps up, the residents of this Toledo neighborhood are left hopeful that their community will no longer be seen as a dumping ground, and they’re eager to see how they can keep the area clean in the future.