Bluesfest patrons treating lawns like toilets, Centretowners say

Some residents living near Booth and Albert streets say they've been dealing with hundreds of Bluesfest concertgoers urinating in their yards.

When the concerts nearthe Canadian War Museum end each night, thousands of people spill into the streets around LeBreton Flats.

Dozens of them have ended up in Sarah Taylor's backyard at 190 Booth St., she says.

"We've had a lot of trespassing in order to pee. I've had to clean up human feces from my carport," she says.

The 36-unit housing co-operative she lives in has had to build makeshift barricades, and neighbours are taking shifts acting as guards to catch the wandering whizzers, but it's not enough to stop it.

"I've personally thrown out more than 100 people. They're lined up along the fence peeing." Taylor says.

"I've had people tell me I need to expect this behaviour if I choose to live downtown," she adds, calling the intruders"shameless."

The issue was bad enough that on Friday a Bluesfestspokesperson said they wereinstallingfour portable toilets at the corner of Booth and Albert streets.

Trespassers peeing on children'stoys

Taylor and her neighbours have called Ottawa police, bylaw officers and their local councillor. While all expressed sympathy, Taylor saysno one was able to help because Bluesfestwould be over before anything official could be done.

A spokesperson for the City of Ottawa says it's a policematter, and police saythey're only aware of two reports.

"There havebeen an increased number of calls for Bluesfestin general," sayspolice spokesperson Const. Chuck Benoit.

"Bluesfesthas been around long enough to have the experience to know to add more outhouses."

'We want Bluesfestto take responsibility'

The popular music festivalhas brought trespassers in previous years, Taylorsays, but neverthis many, and she's never found humanexcrement before.

"They're going into our gardens and peeing on our kids' sand toys. It's horrifying," shelaments.

Residents of the housing co-operative say they want to work with the city and Bluesfestto prevent next year's festivities from bringing the same stench. They're suggesting more portable washrooms and better security measures along nearby streets.

"We want Bluesfest to take responsibility for the behaviour of their patrons."

Bluesfest regrets behaviour

In an emailed statement, Bluesfestspokesperson Joe Reilly wrote that Bluesfestregrets the behaviour.

"We certainly regret if Bluesfest patrons are not being respectful of the surrounding neighbourhood when they are leaving the site. We encourage patrons to drink and act responsibly, both on and off our site," he wrote.

"If residents are encountering difficulties with people on their property we hope they will contact Ottawa bylaw officers or the Ottawa police."