Brunette Avenue clean-up, Part 2

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On June 12 I cleaned up along the fence on Brunette Avenue after the landscaping company cut down the wild grass growing there: The unexpectedly long cigarette butt patrol

Today, just over a month later, I returned and this time everything I picked up fit into a single bucket–definitely less, but still a fair bit of stuff. I hope by cleaning it up, it discourages at least some people from littering there.

I’ve highlighted the area I checked below. This is city property, but it sits right next to the Copperstone easement.

Click for larger image (screenshot from Microsoft Maps)

The haul this time:

Also in the bucket: Multiple cups from Tim’s, the preffered fast food of litterers, apparently.

Package delivery issues

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NOTE: The following are my thoughts on package theft. They DO NOT reflect official strata council policy.

I meant to write about this a few months ago when one of our neighbours down the hall had a package go missing from outside their door. I’ve also seen mention of this on the Facebook group, so now seems a good time to cover it.

The problem: Packages go missing

Packages delivered by couriers and online retailers (UPS, Purolator, Amazon, etc.) can sometimes go missing. The usual suspected reason is theft.

How this happens: Most people are not home when a package is delivered. Couriers and Amazon do not have access to the building–they have no fobs or keys, unlike letter carriers. If no one is home, they often try a different unit so they can leave the package:

  • In the building lobby, typically under the mailboxes.
  • By the door of the unit, if they can get to it (the first floor, plus whatever floor of the unit that buzzed them in).

While the lobbies have cameras, they are otherwise not supervised, so someone can scoop up anything they find there–and this has happened multiple times.

What can you do?

As with any theft, you can report it to the New Westminster Police Department and they will get you a file number. Petty theft is a type of crime that is typically difficult to solve, as the goods may be sold off shortly after the theft, and the perpetrator(s) may never be identified, even with camera footage (bad angle, etc.)

A few steps to help reduce theft:

  • Remember to never let anyone into the building who you don’t recognize.
  • Make sure the lobby door securely shuts behind you. If it doesn’t, report the issue ASAP so the door can be adjusted to close properly.
  • Try to be home when you are expecting a delivery.
  • If you can’t be home for delivery, check for the package as soon as you are able.
  • Alternately, see if a neighbour can receive the package for you.

Some steps to prevent theft:

  • If you are ordering from Amazon, there is a locker and a pickup location, both within a few blocks of Copperstone:
    • Amazon locker: TD Canada, 280 E Columbia St, New Westminster, BC V3L 0E3. This is next to Save On Foods. UPDATE: The TD branch here is relocating and as of August 12, 2025 the Amazon locker has been removed.
    • Amazon pickup: Canada Post outlet, 288 E Columbia St, New Westminster, BC V3L 1C0 (inside Shoppers Drug Mart)
  • If you have a choice of delivery options, choose Canada Post. We have a secure Canada Post locker in the lobby of each building that can handle larger-than-normal packages.
  • If delivery is being made by a courier (DHL, UPS, etc.) they can sometimes arrange to have the package sent to one of their depots or pickup locations. This is obviously less convenient, but more secure.

Butt patrol, June 19, 2025 and a reminder: cigarettes can start fires!

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Another butt patrol completed today. My dustbin went missing, so I used a bucket from under the kitchen sink, where most buckets naturally live.

Butts, bills, and other bits.

Remember, there is no smoking on Copperstone property. In theory, that means my butt patrol should always come up empty, but sadly that never happens.

It’s even more important now to not leave butts on the ground. We’re entering the dry season, and a cigarette butt tossed onto dry grass could smoulder and potentially start a fire. This can be unsightly at best and dangerous at worst.

My advice is to quit smoking. It’s hard, I know! But think of the benefits:

  • You’ll save a lot of money
  • You’ll be healthier, feel better and probably live longer
  • You’ll smell nicer

Also, butt-adjacent: Please don’t leave litter on the property. Take pride in your home and put litter in a trash receptacle.