Some Summerside local community fridge things remaining taken for resale, say organizers

The men and women driving the local community fridge in Summerside have approached town council about moving it to a new location to slice down on persons raiding it when rather pricey things arrive.

The fridge was opened in early November, a single of a number that have been released lately on P.E.I. They are meant to be destinations the place folks in have to have can go to decide on up a handful of merchandise to assist feed their households, with no questions requested.

In a letter to Summerside council that was reviewed at Tuesday night’s assembly, community organizer Johlene Clow outlined how individuals are misusing the city’s service, getting hundreds of dollars’ well worth of items as they donated with the intention of reselling it.

Individuals are waiting for the greater-priced items to occur and then grabbing them, Clow reported in an job interview with CBC on Wednesday. 

The doable locations will be introduced to council on March 7 .

“I never anticipate the law enforcement to babysit it and I do not count on the law enforcement to observe it, but my thought is that if the making was about that City Hall, fireplace corridor, law enforcement station region, within just that vicinity,” Clow mentioned.

“I just believe it would discourage people today a small little bit much more. If you wanted the foodstuff, you are likely to go there and get the food. But if you are just likely there and stealing it on a each day basis, I’m imagining that may well not occur so generally.”

The two refrigerators housing the donated food currently sit in a shed on town residence on Foundry Avenue, with the metropolis buying up the monthly bill for the demanded electrical power.

Summerside Mayor Dan Kutcher stated the fridge may be much better suited in a extra visible area.

“We spoke yesterday at town council of how we go about assisting due to the fact that’s in the long run what we will need to do right here.”

Not a police issue

Coun. Barb Ramsay, even so, expressed some issue about transferring it closer to the police station.

“Our law enforcement providers are extremely, pretty hectic, as we all know, and for them to check that fridge would truly not be their place,” mentioned Ramsay.

She also famous some of the folks who require to use the fridge could not be snug with going near the police station.

Ramsay suggested the group may possibly limit the several hours the fridge is open up, and recruit volunteers to check it.

Coun. Carrie Adams acknowledged that law enforcement need to not be provided duty for the fridge, but thought shifting its area could assistance.

“It shouldn’t be on our police to observe it,” she explained, but added: “It may well discourage some of this exercise that is going on.”