Fort Creek declared crap-free zone

Visitors to Fort Creek Conservation Area will soon see new signage along the trails.

The new signs, reminding visitors to stoop and scoop, will appear soon, says Deane Greenwood, trails coordinator at the Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority.

Once the signs have been there for a bit, Greenwood says enforcement will begin gradually.

And not just enforcement of the need to clean up after your dog, but also to keep your pooch on a leash.

Greenwood wasn't sure exactly what the signs will say when he brought the issue to a meeting of the conservaton authority's board last week, but the intent will be to convince dog owners to leash their dogs and to clean up after them.

The board adopted Greenwood's recommendation to put the signs up in an effort to curb the spread of hazardous material in the park.

Greenwood told board members that every year, people let their dogs run off the leash and do their business, even in the middle of the trail.

Not many dog owners do this, he said, but enough to cause problems for other people using the trails.