Spryfield residents are wondering why there are no garbage cans along one of Halifax’s most popular walking trails, and they’re raising concerns online over how waste is managed.
One local who frequently visits Long Lake Provincial Park posted his thoughts about the lack of maintenance on social media, and a slew of similar comments followed.
He writes that he collected multiple dog poop bags while walking along the trail, reporting that when he took his dog for a walk, he “discovered that dog owners are either not picking up after their dogs have a poop or they pick it up and toss the poop bag to the side of the road.”
To add to the frustration, he says that the trash bin that was beside an outhouse near the Long Lake parking lot was full and locked tight, with an open bag filled with empty coffee cups on top, and the outhouse was “very filthy and smelly.”
Long Lake Provincial Park Association takes a step back
For ten years, the Long Lake Provincial Park Association (LLPPA) managed the parking lot and trails operating on a leave-no-trace policy.
However, in a statement on their website, the association says many visitors would still leave behind household garbage, overnight camping supplies, dog poop, and even some demolition waste.
This put a heavy burden on the volunteer group who took care of the area, and they requested help from the province to manage waste disposal and associated costs.
Part of the problem, according to residents, is that there is nowhere for trail users to dispose of waste, and when garbage cans were available, it was the volunteers’ job to maintain them.
Members of the association say they needed help doing that, so when they couldn’t come up with a viable solution with the province, the Spryfield Business Commission stepped in with a new five-year management agreement with the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in April of 2026.
The Friends of Long Lake Park Trails
Now, the park is managed by a new volunteer committee called The Friends of Long Lake Park Trails, which operates under the Spryfield Business Commission.
According to the commission, the committee plays an important role in supporting trail maintenance, environmental stewardship, and visitor experience, but many residents continue to express concern online.
On their website, The Friends of Long Lake Park Trails says the group “operates within the limits of available funding and volunteer capacity.”
Volunteers have run community cleanup events throughout the year, but still say visitors should stick to the pack-in-pack-out rule.
Acadia News has reached out to The Friends of Long Lake Park Trails for comment.
