Fenceless and furious in Pasadena

Private Property in Pasadena. What does that mean?

People walk their dogs, sometimes aggressive dogs, through your yard. Fires are lit openly in your yard. Dirt bikes speeding through your yard and they don’t stop when you approach. Trees cut on your property. Your friendly-toa-fault dog is pummeled with a bike helmet by someone who is afraid of dogs as they walk through your yard. Litter, cigarette butts thrown in your yard. Sign after sign vandalized with calls to RCMP. Flashlights going through your yard at night. Kids screaming “help” and you’re sure someone’s gone over the cliff into the brook but they’re just playing a game.

And now imagine you also have a one and four-year-old child to worry about with those dirt bikes, dogs, distractions.

So many people are ignoring the “Trail Closed,” “Private Property,” “No Motorized Vehicles,” “Dog on

We live in a beautiful spot in Pasadena and I appreciate that others want to enjoy it. But you know what? It’s private property. You’d think we could put up a fence and problem solved. But Pasadena’s town council is not providing a fence permit because they want the walking trail to remain regardless of my families’ safety and property rights.

Property,” etc. signs — including town councillors.

We live in a beautiful spot in Pasadena and I appreciate that others want to enjoy it. But you know what? It’s private property.

You’d think we could put up a fence and problem solved. But Pasadena’s town council is not providing a fence permit because they want the walking trail to remain regardless of my families’ safety and property rights. It is not a critical trail as there is access on either end (although interestingly, it joins another piece of private property). We’re nearing 30 days since the fence request was placed and issues occur on almost a daily basis. After 30 days without a response, the fence permit is assumed denied and an appeal board will have to hear our case. By letting time pass town council did not need to officially deny at a town meeting and therefore, hear comments on record from us.

We will have to waste $226 on an appeal and likely many more months of vandalism and headaches. There are times when I don’t feel safe in my own backyard.

Becky Shea Pasadena