Conservation Officer Dan Bartol does not want to issue fines to Golden residents, but he will if an improperly locked bin attracts a bear.
Last week he issued a $230 fine to a resident of the Husky Trailer Court in Golden after an unlocked garbage bin attracted a bear, who then knocked over the bin and began eating its contents. The resident said it was his child who accidentally left the bin unlocked.
The Town of Golden recently invested in 400 new bear-resistant garbage bins, which have been distributed in strategic neighbourhoods throughout the town. And even though Bartol says that compliance has been pretty good so far, he wants it to get to 100 per cent.
“All it takes in one,” he said. “Because of this one incident, we may have to kill a bear over it.”
It only takes one incident for a bear to become conditioned to eating garbage, and he has received reports of a bear being in the area since then.
“The Town has invested a lot of money in these bins, and they’re effective. I really believe we can get to 100 per cent compliance,” said Bartol.
The bear resistant bins have two locking carabiners, both of which must be locked any time the bin is not at the curb for garbage day pickup.
