Dear Sir,

The well-known Twain quote was directed at golf, but is also unfortunately applicable to a stretch of Railway Trail between Grape Bay Drive and the west end of Ord Road.

There is an individual who frequents this section of the trail just about every morning. He is dressed like a painter, generally carrying a bucket in one hand and miscellaneous paraphernalia in the other. He is well known to the early morning trail users, but not in a positive way. For the past several years, he has made a habit of littering the trail with large branches and rocks. The rationale for this is not entirely clear, but would seem to be based on a strong dislike for his fellow man and a need to be noticed.

It is a considerable inconvenience to those who use the trail, although most regular users are accustomed to it, and many move his obstructions as they come upon them. As a frequent cyclist on the trail, I am not particularly bothered by the sticks and stones, as the obstructions actually make the ride more challenging. But the majority of users do not need, or want, the challenge.

I have heard that he has been suspected of starting fires along the trail, and of threatening people who confront him, including threats to pull a knife. I have had a few less than cordial discussions with him. He is quite obviously not mentally stable and for that he does deserve a certain degree of sympathy.

As inconvenient as the rocks and branches are, he has recently taken it to another level by leaving faeces-saturated paper scattered across the trail in the Ord Road east to Cobbs Hill section. The trail is used by walkers, joggers and cyclists. It is also frequently used by parents with young children in strollers, walking or on bikes.

His handiwork was probably noticed by more than a few of the End-to-End participants on Saturday. Some people would be inclined to remove garbage on the trail — just as they move the rocks and branches — but removing faeces-saturated paper is not particularly pleasant or manageable.

This latest action cannot be tolerated for obvious reasons. Daily, he is intentionally disrupting and damaging a public recreational area in a way that creates a public health hazard. The authorities need to take appropriate action.

TOM CORMIER

Paget