A small, half-mile stretch of McKenzie, between Broesky Road and Reichenbach Road, has been temporarily blocked by the RM of Hanover.

“Over the last five years we’ve noticed that this road has been a target of garbage dumping,” says Hanover’s Chief Administration Officer Luc Lahaie, listing couches, fridges, and washing machines as some of the bizarre items discarded in the ditch. “It was almost a full-time job for an employee to go there and pick up the garbage and bring it to the Steinbach Landfill.”

Lahaie says the road closure is not a permanent solution as farms on either side of the stretch make frequent use of the road. He hopes people will take the barricade as a sign to dispose of their trash in more acceptable ways.

During this time the municipality will make a decision on the road’s future says Lahaie, meanwhile, he suggests nearby residents walk their dogs and enjoy the small piece of vehicle-free roadway.