March 10, 2010

REG HARTT to Toronto Advertising Hall of Shame

"Public morality, thy deadly bane,
By tens of thousands hast thou slain."
--Robert Burns.

____________________

Dear mr. Hartt,

Thy true feelings appear more in the arena of commerce and community litterbug, not in thy community of neighbours.

Robert

__________________

March 10, 2010

Robert,

The Supreme Court of Canada upheld postering as freedom of speech.

I'll not see you take that freedom down.

We have a common enemy.

It would be better if we worked together to deal with it.

--Reg Hartt

_____________________

Dear Mr. Hartt,

Thank you for your contribution to the Blog.

However, you are misinformed. "Freedom of Speech" has certain limitations. For example, shouting "fire" in a movie theater endangers lives,a student shouting profanity at a teacher in school, pasting advertising signs to traffic and signs and street lamps or spray painting a building or sidewalk, for example, are some of many exceptions to to "freedom of speech" found in Toronto city by-laws.

Beyond this, there is a community standard for keeping our city clean and a pleasant place in which to live and work.

Please consider these points when you poster.

Robert

February 28, 2010

M.S. has provided contact inforamtion for Mr. Hartt. Please call or email him about the littering of our Toronto neighbourhoods.

Reg Hartt: 416-603-6643. Email: rHartt4363@rogers.com

463 Bathhurst Street.

______________________________

February 26, 2010

I am surprised that Reg Hartt and his inane movie posters are not on your hall of shame. This man has been polluting downtown pylons and construction fences for over twenty years that I know of. He bombards the streets with as many posters as he can find space for, often pasting over other posters. Whenever I see ads for his limited repertoire of films, I rip them off but this man is like a cancer, he keeps coming back. I would love to see this stopped from defacing our streets.

M.S.

________________________

Dear Mr./Ms. S,

Thank you for your note.

The Toronto Advertising Hall of Shame (Canadians Against Street SPAM) relies heavily on surveillance and action by concerned Toronto residents such as yourself to report abuses of our city with photos and identification of locations.

Anything you can your neighbours can do to help identify and , more important, remove the abuses, is welcome.

Thank you for your help.

Robert

February 24, 2010

This might not work for everyone but I tried some WD-40 on a bunch of those junk signs stuck on the back of traffic signs on my block. If you leave it on for a few minutes, the junk signs peel off pretty easy.

Mike

Scarborough

January 22, 2010

me and my wife just got back from 10 days in London, England. We were really impressed with the cleanliness of the city. No junk signs for Queen Elizabeth Movers and Buckingham Palace Roofing. How come they can do and we can't?

Marty
Scarborough

January 18, 2010

Hello Ville,

Great work on the web site.

For a few years, I've been taking down the signs in the block north and east of Yonge Street and York Mills Road.

I've made a hook on a stick to help get the signs down, and have posted some details both of the construction of the hook, and of using it at http://hook.NeighboursNews.ca (which includes a pointer to your web site.

Let me know if you see anything I should change.

M.S.

December 22, 2009

Hello there,

I was just hoping you could send the word out to ask everyone who visits your site to please report any sightings of the "Booty Camp" ads that are beginning to crop up again in North Toronto. Yesterday they hit Mount Pleasant south from Merton, and St. Clair over to Yonge. These people are worthless idiots, and everything should be done to make their lives as difficult as possible, and that includes removing their ads as soon as they get placed up.

Thanks, and keep up the good effort!

D.L.

December 5, 2009 -

I've seen some improvement in my neighbourhood. Are things getting better, the same or worse do you thin?

Emily, Scarborough (mother of three)

_________________

Dear Emily,

Some things are better and some are worse and some are the same.

One thing is certain, however, more people have become aware of the need to be constantly vigilant in the battle against Street SPAM and litter. Junk advertisers never tire of pasting signs on our traffic light and street light poles and backs of traffic signs. The only deterrents are the vigilance of people like yourself and recent city efforts to levy fines.

Council Howard Moscoe has been instrumental in this work for the city and the good folks at Municipal Licensing and Standards now understand that they are on the front lines in the battle to keep our neighbourhoods clean, and they are doing an increasing better job.

Thanks, Emily.

Robert

November 21, 2009 -

Dear Friends,

Please excuse the delay for some of you on receiving the signs snips. The response was overwhelming, for which we are all gratified. However, our supply has been exhausted. They were donated by a friend of the Toronto Advertising Hall of Shame city cleanup campaign. We are hoping another generous donor will come forward shortly. We have a waiting list of about 50 and will send the snips about as as receive them. Meanwhile, please do what you can to help remove our city's Street SPAM junk signs and make Toronto a more pleasant place to live and work.

Thank you.

Robert

fromMichael Begley <acezdemo@rogers.com>
toVille Propre De Toronto <torontoadvertisinghallofshame@gmail.com>

dateThu, Nov 19, 2009 at 4:06 PM
subjectRe: Demolition Man Litters Kingsway-Lambton Church Area
signed-byrogers.com

I don't know who you are but I really hope you are not spreading bad news about me or my company I Had paid a company to put up sighns for me .they put up 100 sighns through out toronto this was one time about three months ago . this is not a crime and i don't want to be harrassed by you about a couple of sighns and maybe spend your free time on something else other than me

November 10, 2009 -

Hello: I just used S & Sons Moving yesterday. The owner Stefan was sooooo rude to me. He has a major chip on his shoulder. I’m on the internet to see if anyone else had a bad experience and came across your site!
Wow! I guess some of these businesses are so jaded and desperate to make a buck

Teresa

November 10, 2009 -

My kids and I usually take down a sign or two while waiting for their school bus in the morning in our Neighborhood...which is at Dufferin
and Rutherford...(Dufferin Hill) - The Boulevard's have become a breeding ground for these lazy business owners who could easily have a website
in this day and age and get found that way.

Well on the way home tonight my 7 and 5 year old and I started to grab a few signs on the way into our street around 8:30pm. The kids got right into
it and so did dad. We picked up over 14 signs in about 20 minutes.

We're not taking it anymore and I will take them down daily for as long as
they put them up!

Jeff
Vaughan

November 1, 2009 -

I think you guys are awesome for providing this service.

Duke
Kelowna BC

October 28, 2009-

I took these three signs down. Yesterday. All I did was lift the plastic sign off the frame and tied them in a knot around the metal frame so the perps know someone cares and is watching my Princess Margaret street.

Ellie

October 22, 2009 -

I plan to glue as many of my signs around the city as I can and you can't stop me.

Mr. S

_________________________

Dear Mr. S,

Stated like a true patriot.

Robert

October 9, 2009 -

So far, I've been able to sustain only minor injuries taking the "garbage" down... I think the snips would be
much safer (& easier!)

We can keep our city clean! ...spreading the word & leading by example counts, and it's surprising how many folks you can get onboard just by having them see you do it.

Lisa

September 29, 2009 -

Hey Ville,

You really sucks, go collect some leafs to clean up the roads, have nothing to do , I can give you some work, but make shure you are a good company , because if you not good doesn’t matter how good they talk about you … shame on you ville, get a real job and try to be nice

Your neighbor

joaosa@rogers.com

September 29, 2009-

Hi, there’s tons of political signs on every corner, do you think our politics signs, are better than any other advertising signs, that you call junk ‘EYESORE”? …
You are going to need a lot of volunteers to clean them up .
All those junk signs are from people who works hard everyday , and don’t live on welfare or any other government institutions.
Please find a job , and let people work, to move the city up…


Your neighbor

joaosa@rogers.com

fromMLS Etobicoke York <MLSEtobicokeYork@toronto.ca>
toVille Propre De Toronto <torontoadvertisinghallofshame@gmail.com>

ccDonald Pardoe <dwpardoe@toronto.ca>

dateWed, Sep 23, 2009 at 3:26 PM
subjectRe: S and Son Moving tests city's will to clean up Street SPAM signs
mailed-bytoronto.ca

hide details Sep 23 (10 days ago)

Thank you for your e-mail, this matter is under the jurisdiction of transportation services department. I am copying this e-mail to them for their attention.

Thank you

MLS EY

September 15, 2009 -

I saw that guy too the one on the bike. I took a picture of what he did to that sign and all the others on our streets around Angelesey. How do thet get away with it? Doen'st the city fine them. The phone number is right on the sign.

E.C., on Angelesey

September 14, 2009 -

Is this sign stuff getting any better? It looks worse to me. Looks like every traffic light pole is smeared with those litter sings.

Andrea w., lakeshore

September 13, 2009 -

I never saw this before with this guy on his bike riding up to "stop" signs and standing on the bike an sticking those S and Son moving company signs on the back of the STOP sign and other traffic signs. I asked him about it and he told me it was none of my business. I told him it was illegal and making a mess on my street and he told me he gets paid $10 an hour and he's not going to stop it.

I took these 2 pictures on my cell phone but they are really very good. But you get the idea.

Can't anyone stop this S and Son company?

Angelsey resident

September 9, 2009 -

Here's an update. To date, TAHS has received more than 700 requests for the "snips" offer.

The response to the "snips" offer was wonderful. However, our supply of donated snips has been exhausted. We are hoping a community-0spirited person will step forward to assist us.

If the we are able top secure additional snips, we will send one to you .

Thank you again. Please do what you can to remove Street SPAM.

Robert

September 9, 2009 -

I support what you're doing and I want to help out.

Jack

September 9, 2009 -

Hi!

I am a responsible marketer, and I live at Spadina and the Lakeshore so i see my share of illegal advertisements.

Let's remove those ugly signs!

Lisa

September 8, 2009 -

Hey Ville,

I live in Oakville and as of late there has been an enormous amount of junk being "wired" to lamp posts and street signs. I just thought I'd let you know that I, along with some friends, have been removing them.

Take care,

G

September 8, 2009 -

I would very much appreciate receiving a pair of snips to remove some of the signs which litter the fenced area close to my home.

Grace

September 7, 2009 -

WHAT AN AMAZING IDEA VILLE!! OSHAWA NEEDS A GUY LIKE YOU!!

Dan

September 7, 2009 -

Hi Robert,

just wanted to thank you again for the snips. Today I took down 3 posters (for junk removal) and 1 sign (maid service) on my street. It felt good :)

nick

September 7, 2009 -

I am glad to see that there sites like yours that are trying to rid this world of the junk signs. I'd love to get on of your free pairs of snips as there are some junk signs building in my area and being from a rural community I'd hate to have to see this growing, I think if we can nip it in the bud now we might be able to stop it.

Danny

August 24, 2009 -

Thank you to the hundreds of Toronto community-minded residents taking advantage of the TAHS take-down-those-junk-signs-"snips"-offer.

We have exhausted our supply, generously donated by a community-spirited resident.

August 23, 2009 -

Mmy grandfather hates those junk advertisements, he will be glad to get rid of them.

Sincerely,
Terry

August 20, 2009 -

Hi, I often see poster about junk removal, cleaning, driving school, and similar advertisement posted on a street light post around the corner of my street. I would like one of these wire snips to get rid of them.

Keith

August 20, 2009 -

Hey I'd love to help out with a pair of these snips.

Mike

August 20, 2009 -

Love it and need to figure out how to volunteer/participate - thanks
for leading by example!

Aran

August 20, 2009 -

Could you send a couple pairs of junk snips my way, my roommate and I would love to help get rid of street spam.

Andrew

August 20, 2009 -

Hello,
i'm so glad to see somebody taking on this major issue. i hate all the posters and related stuff that's propped up on my street. i don't have a pickup but will gladly volunteer to take stuff down in my area (Mount Pleasant/Davisville).

Please send the wire snips to:

Nicolas

August 20, 2009 -

Could you send a couple pairs of junk snips my way, my roommate and I would love to help get rid of street spam.

Andrew

August 12, 2009 - The Bay Corridor Community Association is very interested in participating. Our area is bounded by College Street, Yonge Street, Charles Street and Queen’s Park.

Al Rezoski
_________________________________
Dear Mr. Rezoski:

Thank you for your inquiry.

The Toronto Advertising Hall of Shame ( soon to be renamed Torontonians Against Street SPAM (TASS) is a 100 percent volunteer effort to widen interest in keeping our city clean and free from ugly Street SPAM that presents our city in a far less better light than any of us prefer.

It's all part of a North America-wide effort to clean our neighbourhoods and set a good example for family, businesses and visitors.

TAHS does not yet have a formal structure has relied heavily on verifiable information from residents to bring to the attention our elected representatives and residents citywide of the the role they can play in this process of ridding our streets of what is now termed Street SPAM, Vertical Litter, Litter on a Stick, Bandit Signs.  Nearly all are illegal and plastered by advertising agencies and other commercial enterprises deliberately.  They have no remorse because they are aware that By Law enforcement is lax.

What the Bay Corridor Community Association can do:

1. Write a firm and cordial letter to Councillor Howard Moscoe who oversees city Municipal Licensing and Standards.  Mr. Moscoe has been extremely helpful in this process but needs to know more residents and civic-minded organizations are concerned.

2.Organize Saturday street patrols.  These are just two-person teams who walk a specified street and remove signs attached to traffic signs, signal lights and street light poles with wire or nylon straps.  It's very easy to do  We have 10-year-olds and seniors tell they can do it.  Each team neatly spray paints the phone numbers out on all junk signs glued to traffic signal and light poles.  Please be careful with this process as it is important that our work not be perceived as an act of vandalism (which it is not).  Spray only the phone numbers, event dates and location.  This is designed to let SPAMMERS know we are concerned and will render their ads valueless.  The city uses this same technique.

3. Use a cell phone camera to take a photo of the offending signs and email the photos to us here at this address for posting on the website.  The website is updated daily and is monitored by ML&S.

4. Urge members of your group to join in.  This is a residents' responsibility as well as a city one. 

5. If teams are ever questioned about their work, the response should simply be: "We are helping to enforce the city the By Law, thank you."  Never enter into a discussion with anyone you feel opposes the work. Never argue.  Keep a cell phone hnady if you need help.

6. Ask your members to call companies whose phone numbers always appear on the Street SPAM signs and simply say:  "Good Day.  I'm calling from the Bay Corridor Community Association to let you know we are removing as many of your signs as possible and ask your cooperation in helping  to keep our neighbourhood clean by not posting signs in the future.  Thank you."  Hang up.  If an email or website address is provided, use it to email the same message.

Thank you so much Al for your interest. 

August 10, 2009 - Me and my wife went to the Oakville Jazz Festival Sunday, just after all that rain stopped, and aside from the really good music, we noticed walking down the streets how free of junk signs it all is. I know Oakville is small compared toToronto, but sure looks like they got the message about that junk signs glued to all the light poles and traffic signs are not wanted. And I guess you can't ever depend on businesses to always do the right thing so I guess Oakville has good enforcement. I wish Toronto could do the same.

Jazz fan.

July 22, 2009 - Have you seen how raunchy Sheppard is getting. Even just the little stretch of Sheppard between Weston Road and the Tim Hortons looks horrible.

In need of a Good Shepherd

July 19, 2009

Is it my imagination or are there more junk signs than ever littering our neighbourhoods?

S.P
________________
Dear S.P.,

Sure looks like mote signs, doesn't it. It may have something to do with the increased brazenness and disregard for our communities and what one writer suggested is an increase in the attitude that Street SPAM and litter on traffic signs advertising, regardless of how ugly it is, is somehow justified.

TAHS

July 7, 2009

I can't remember what these posters are for. I think it's for asbestos abatement and they're plastered all over Bloor Street/Bloor West Village, on mail boxes, traffic signal boxes, newspaper vending machines, traffic signal and lighting poles. It looks so ugly and cheap.

Besides, would anyone really want their home asbestos abated by people who litter the streets?

Up to here with it!

July 1, 2009

Me and my wife and kids took a drive up to Kleinberg for Canada Day. We went up route 27 from Eglinton Avenue. The road is really an eyesore. There must be thousands of signs glued to traffic lights and street signs and stuck in the road everywhere. Then when we got to Kleinberg, it was beautiful I know it's just a small town but they enforce their laws and Toronto doesn't.

Route 27 sucks guy

June 26, 2009

Has anyone seen the way Lawrence Avenue West has gone downhill? It's been signed and postered all over. Just look at the intersection of Dufferin and Lawrence as one example. Doesn't anyone care?

Andria
_______________

Dear Andria,

Lots of people care, but don't think too seriously about each day. The people doing the postering don't care at all. They simply see our city as a place to litter.

TAHS

June 20, 2009 -

My wife and me went to see Jersey Boys last night. Great show and the theatre there is great. But we hadn't been to North York in a long time and couldn't believe all the junk glued to everything on the street. It looked really bad. All over street signs, mail boxes, light poles, traffic signs. It's a great part of the city. There was even an outdoor festival about the environment there with music and tents and booths with good information. But what a mess walking down the streets.

JB Fan

June 11, 2009 -

I saw this listing on craigslist. I guess this is how those guys who litter my neighbourhood recruit posters.

Sammy downtown

_________________

Reliable Distributor Needed - $20+/Hr (Greater Toronto Area)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to: job-e7n5z-1216091351@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
Date: 2009-06-11, 8:41AM EDT

Training & Transportation provided.

Serious Inquiry Only, please submit the following information:

Full Name:
Telephone Number:
Postal Code: (We will need your address when you start the job, but for your safety, we won't ask for it over craigslist)
Availability:

You will be handing out flyers door-to-door or posting up flyers on the street.
You must be reliable, that means punctual and honest.
We pay by number of flyers being distributed, which means the faster you hand them out, the more you earn, average earning of about $20/hour.

You would need a backpack (to put flyers in) and comfortable shoes (as there will be lots of walking). It's a great job for the summer to make some extra cash!

Location: Greater Toronto Area
Compensation: $20+/hour
This is a part-time job.
This is a contract job.
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

PostingID: 1216091351

June 6, 2009 - My wife ia a postal worker and is pretty good at estimating stuff on the streets and she thinks the number of Booty Fitness Camp signs stuck to traffic signs and street lights is much closer to 5,000 signs.

Greg downtown

June 4, 2009 -

Have you seen all the signs stuck in park grounds alongside Lakeshore Blvd? What's with this? I thought it was illegal to post signs on park property.

Sandie

May 31, 2009 -

I just got from a short vacation trip to New York with my wife where we saw a couple of shows and walked around allot. I was amazed how few traffic signals and light poles were messed up with those junk signs stuck to them. The whole Times Square and theatre area was so clean and almost none of the poster stuff. Toronto is much worse.

Randy and Ann

May 21, 2009 -

Wow am i glad to find you!!!!
I have been taking down fliers for years and absolutley HATE them...by the way did you know that you can complain to Astro Media at 1-866-827-8725 re the bus shelters ...I have also just contacted my city councillor regarding ward 33 ...don mills and sheppard...
I am ready to volunteer...just tell me what to do and where do i get my snippers!

M in North York

_______________________

Dear M in North York,

Your snippers are on the way.

Ville

_____________________

May 21, 2009 -

Hello everyone

I noticed on your blog that you like peoples name and phone numbers...ok well here it goes...this was what i did today!

the signs that say PARDON and CHEAP DIVORCE...are everywhere in my neighborhood...hydro boxes...bus shelters...telephone poles...WHAT A MESS...so everyday on my home i take them down...and when i get home i call and complain...they put them up again the next day....so today i called my local councilwoman at city hall and she forwarded my complaint to the municpal licencing and standards division...I also now know the owners name MOHAMED BATEN 705 Lawrence Ave West Unit #205 - his phone number is 416-849-4200...PLEASE EVERYONE CALL AND COMPLAIN....the garbage in my neighborhood is discusting...oh and i have spoken to Mohamed Baten ...he says Toronto is NOT HIS CITY so he does not care! well i am going to make him care! this city use to be clean and people like him are slowliy turning this city into a dump ...these signs are EVERYWHERE in Toronto and he is responsible for many different ones including the ugly black and yellow ...CHEAP DIVORCE and PARDON flyers...well he is not going to destroy MY CITY without a fight!

M in North York

May 20, 2009

I saw so many junk signs stuck in the ground last week I decided to call them "litter on a stick".

Gale in North York

May 19, 2009

Hello again Ville,

Many thanks for obtaining the information on the Best Body/Booty Camp people.

I also have a new entry for your junk hauling list, and I'm surprised it isn't already listed: Frank and Daughter.

This company is well-known in north Toronto for plastering ads everywhere on poles on a regular basis, starting around March and into October. They're a nasty bunch, and I no longer contact them directly as I got nothing but obscenities from them when I asked them politely to stop spamming my area.

Here is the person in charge:

Frank Iacobucci
30 Dupont St
Toronto, ON M5R 1V2
(416) 921-9711

I would also like you to please alert your readers to another notorious spammer, the "Eric Muth, Computer Genius" company that is constantly spamming the area from north Rosedale to Davisville Village, in between Mount Pleasant and Avenue Road. His number is a Bell cell number, so his address is unavailable for free. Nonetheless, I feel he should be added to your "hall of shame" as he plasters ads in front of churches and Mount Pleasant Cemetery itself. Classy.
All the best,

E. B.

__________

Dear E.B.

Thank you for your support and for reporting another Toronto Street SPAMMER.

TAHS encourages readers to send simple photos from a cell phone camera, for example, to verify our postings.

Keep up the good work EB

Ville

May 3, 2008

College Pro Painters is nailing their signs to utility poles all over The Kingsway. The one inn the picture is at The Kingsway and Prince Edward. They even go on my neighbour's property to nail a junk sign to a pole in his yard.

Do they have any scruples?

I'm gonna start ripping them down.

_____________

Dear Ripper,

Go for it. These folks litter neighbourhoods all over the city and don't seem to care.

Ville

Hello Ville,
 
I work in the financial district and I've noticed that once again, the Best Body/Booty Camp outfit is "spamming"  the financial core with its posters (sorry, I don't have a camera). It's been my experience that they undertake city-wide spam blitzes about once a month, and I would not be surprised if they've plastered other areas that they have in the past:
 
- Eglinton and St. Clair, west from Mount Pleasant through to Avenue Road
- Bloor west from Dundas/Roncesvalles into Bloor West Village
- Greektown along the Danforth
- Bloor through Yorkville, and into the Annex
- Queen Street through the Beach(es) area
 
If you can, please send out the call to your volunteers to pester the city, their councillors, their BIAs, whomever, to get this trash removed *ASAP* wherever it is found.
 
My question is, who are these Best Body people? And can something be done about them? When I see their ads I write to the MLS Toronto East-York site, local BIAs and councillors and tell them to get these ads removed as soon as possible. Is this the right strategy to take, in your experience?
 
I often do the same for those Think In Spanish and Essay Experts jerks, who along with Best Body and the Guvernment night club, are probably the four worst street spam offenders in the city.
 
I applaud you and your efforts, and will try to help you in any way I can to rid this city of this scourge, as Toronto seems to be unique in hosting these types of businesses who show no pride and respect towards the city whatsoever.
 
Thank you, and keep up the fight!
 
Sincerely,

E. B.

______________________

Dear E.B.,

Makes you wonder sometimes, doesn't it. Trashing our city doesn't make sense for a business, yet they do it. Creepy, isn't it?

Booty Camp Fitness Inc. appears to be headquartered in Vancouver.

Carolyn Carson: 613-290-0734carolyn@bootycampfitness.com
230 Queens Quay W Suite 829
Toronto, Ontario M5J 2Y7
Fax: 866.285.3223

Call to complain: Best Body Boot Camp
Daniela Nahas and Roger Nahas
416.519.2643
info@bestbodybootcamp.com
Fax: 866.285.3223

April 12, 2009

Damn! There must be 30 of these miserable signs just on my block!

I hate it.

Lawn cleaner-upper.

April 2, 2009

TAHS,

What is more annoying?.....the litter of bandit signs in an established neighborhood, or the bass of some "ones" stereo that rattles your windows? Is it one of those things where they spent the $150, so any noise they produce is justified? Kinda like you spent $100 on junk signs, so the rest of the world has to endure them littering their yard? You pay taxes on the mall or city park so you can use it as a bulletin board?.

If you aren't mowing the grass, you have no business planting tomatoes or bandit signs.

Why feel the need to invade the general public in hopes of snaring the one in a thousand people that will consider doing business with junk sign businesses?

Edna

April 1, 2009

How come roofing contractors seem to have the most Street Spam signs on your website?

Nailed to a tree

___________________

Dear Nailed,

Good question. Roofing contractors appear to be the single largest category, though not the largest abusers, of Street SPAM. (City Asphalt Sealing and S & Son Moving appear to be the largest abusers of our neighbourhoods). Contractors should have a better way of attracting business. Surely, littering can't do much for contractor reputation.

If anyone has helpful marketing ideas for contractors, pass them along to this forum or call contractors currently littering your neighbourhoods.

Jason du Ville

March 20, 2009

Maybe it's just me and my family, but it seems to me that there's lots of talk about keeping the city environmentally sound, except when it comes to business. There is seems anything goes. All this sign litter in our streets is just another example of not doing the right thing if someone can make a buck at it. Doesn't matter if they are a big or small business, they will litter the streets with there signs. Makes my kids think graffiti is officially approved by someone.

Lakeshore home owner.

February 25, 2009

Eric Sngh, owner of the Street SPAM pictured respondes with the following advice for concerned residents: "get a life."

_____

from eric singh <sandhu100@hotmail.com>
date Wed, Feb 25, 2009 at 2:43 PM

Eric Singh

February 24, 2009

Dear TAHS,

Those guys are making my home around Scarborough look like a third-world city with all that stuff glued to trafficm signs. Just look all around Warden Avenue.

Warden

February 12, 2009

chris testa to me

dear "ville"

a friend of mine showed me your website the other day and it was great for a laugh,i don't agree with this form of advertising either but you have to look at it from all angles. to say these people are getting away with free advertising is just crazy. I use to work for a company who used these signs and they cost about $3 a piece and companies would buy anywhere from 100 to 1000 pieces(you do the math)then comes the cost of the labour to put them up peoples time is not cheap. if i had to guess i would say a campaign of 100 signs would cost around $750-$1000 installed,similar to a small flyer campaign If anything these people spend more to overcompensate for assholes like yourself who remove their signs. Many of these signs come from small businesses cutting their teeth and need every advantage possible to survive amongst huge corporations. To add to their troubles assholes like you are trying to drag their names through the mud in your little .org .I'm guessing your on the other side of the deal though,probably some silver spoon fed fuck who lives in a fancy house and never put in a decent days work in his life. You people who take matters into your own hands only make the situation worse,You rip signs in half and throw them on the floor(littering),and you spray-paint adds and the public property there attached to in the process(graffiti)

I don't know if you tried but maybe contacting these companies and warning them their signs will be removed and returning their signs would create a different outcome and a better relationship. Personally if someone did that for me i would be more the happy to look at another way of advertising(but then again you wouldn't be able to use your spray paint and garden tools so i see your dilemma)

anyway like i say there's two sides to every story

Grow Up

_____________________

Dear Chris Testa:

Thank you for your response. Please be aware that TAHS is a community-based voice; it is not a single individual. So, your comment demonstrates contempt for the community.

Ville

___________________________

February 12, 2009

I had no idea Street SPAM and vertical litter supporters used such poor language. Imagine if their kids read this posting. Yikes.

Teacher in Richmond Hill

February 6, 2009 - I have a small moving company in Scarborough and I only advertise in the Yellow Pages and sometimes in a community newspaper, but I've been seeing more and more of those yellow posters with red writing on them for S and Son Moving and I'm really p_ _ _ed off because they don't pay for advertising because they advertise on city traffic signs that me and lots of other companies pay for in our taxes. How come no one does anything about it. I mean their phone umber and website is printed right on the posters stuck to traffic signs all over the city. I bet there's 100,000 of them. Can't we fine them?

P _ _ _ ed off

________________________

Dear P _ _ _ ed off,

You've clearly identified one of the two worse Street SPAMMERS in Toronto. Contact city Councillor Howard Moscoe councillor_moscoe@toronto.ca to complain. Call your fellow moving business colleagues and ask them to to call Mr. S and his Son and the city to take some action on this Street SPAM.

Ville

February 2, 2009 - It looks almost like 3D doesn't it. These S and Son Moving guys must hate Toronto. I saw a guy put this new sticker right over the old one where the phone number had been spray-painted out. I too this snapshot then sprayed over the new sticker. I decided I hate these guys. This is on The Kingsway at Anglesley.

Stuck anew in Etobicoke

December 12, 2009 - I pulled a junk sign down from a traffic light pole with my garden soil tiller I bought at RONA because it was really high up on the pole but this garden tool works great and it's easy to use. But the sign I think is not cardboard. It feels like plastic. What is this stuff and can it be recycled?

Hoe in Scarborough
_______________

Dear Garden Hoe in Scarborough,

Most of the signs you refer to are made of a product often called "coroplast" or a plastic product similar to it. These signs are not easily recycled and do not generally biodegrade well in landfills. In short, they are a problem for municipalities to dispose of.

The garden tool use used is excellent for this purpose.

Thanks for your thoughtfulness in ridding Toronto of Street SPAM.

Ville

December 27, 2008

"Street SPAM". That's exactly what all this crap is. Sorry to use the word crap, but that's what it is. Makes my street look like the marketplace in my homeland city of Mumbai.

Jeevay in Scarborough

November 9, 2008

Dear TAHS,

I wish I had a business or a home business I could advertise on the STOP signs in my neighbourhood. I think its good value for my city taxes I pay.

Mr. STOP
____________

Dear Mr. STOP,

Suppose there were no STOP signs, no traffic signs, no traffic light and street light poles in Toronto, where would you advertise? Do you believe advertising on traffic signs represents the quality work you provide?

Ville

September 25, 2008

Dear TAHS:

Since tripping over this website about a week ago, I've become more aware of just how dirty and cluttered our city has become. I think it's a sign of urban decay just like US cities. Who do you think is the worst "junk sign" offender?

Scarborough Bill
__________________
Dear Bill,

If you just go on what you see around your neighbourhood, there's no question about the increase in junk signs trashing the streets, lawns, and parks. And, Scarborough, according to observations from residents, is by far the worst in the city.

Who is the worst junk sign polluter? With some many companies and individuals vying for the coveted title of worst in the city, you'd think it would be a tough choice, but it's not. Last year, residents chose City Asphalt Sealing, S and Son Moving, Avenue Road Advertising, and Alpine Roofing as the worst city offenders. Voting has now started for the 2008 Toronto Advertising Hall of Shame Eyesore Junk Sign Polluter of the Year competition (TAHSEJSPY. Voting is simple and the ballot instructions can be found by clicking here.

So far, and far and away, City Asphalt Sealing of Richmond Hill is in the lead with an estimated 50,000 illegal eyesore junk signs postered/plastered to the backside of traffic signs, traffic signal poles, postal boxes throughout the city. The city doesn't seem to enforce the sign by-laws very effectively and City Asphalt knows it well. Imagine if this company were fined just $5.00 for each violation. That's $250,000!

Please take a moment to contact your city councillor and Councillor Howard Moscoe councillor_moscoe@toronto.ca to complain. Councillor Moscoe oversees the Municipal Licensing and Standards department and has been doing a good job despite overwhelming challenges and obstructions from lobbying lawyers.

Ville

January 12, 2009 - Since Mr. Vectus' original comments, Vectus has expanded its Street SPAM to include what now appears to be more than an estimated thousand street SPAM signs defaced. In some parts of the city, Vectus Street SPAM signs are being covered over my those omnipresent orange S and Son Moving Street SPAM signs. Is this a Street SPAM war?

Ville

______________________

September 19, 2008

You are very, very welcome eyesore Ville

Ville, Your eyesore junk web-site does not represent Canadians and Torontonians in particular, so you have no right to speak for Canadians and Torontonians in particular. If you can design a better sign, please do so and if you personaly don't like the colours, we can change it just for you Ville. You know, just a piece of thought, at fist people did not like Pablo Picasso too. There is a lot of people who like signs because it is a convinient way to find needed information. And who are you Villie personaly to say that all Canadians do not like signs. Though there is a lot of Canadians, who hate junk eyesore e-mails from annoying organisations like yours. ...ohh and I give you, Vilie, permittion to post our feedback on your annoying eyesore web-site. (sic)

Vectus
_______________
Dear Vectus,

Thank you for your feedback and for your thoughts. Comparing Picasso to eyesore junk signs glued to traffic light poles would not have occurred to many.

Ville

__________________

September 16, 2008 -Vectus Transportation Services 7:44 PM

First of all your ability to count is not the best one, which questions your organization: "hundreds of traffic signal poles and other traffic signs postered" ?! There is no law which stats that we as a company can not advertise. We can see that you hate Canada and Toronto in particular because YOU are against its economy. Why do YOU think you have health care, police, firefighters, and other free services? Well let me explain it to YOU: we as small business company, and others like us, pay TAXES from all the services we provide!

Second off all the phone number YOU have posted on YOUR website and e-mails that YOU sent to other people is violation of my rights due to the fact that it is a privet cell phone number and not registered under the company. I as an individual can post my privet info but its illegal to be posted by any other individual without my consent. I will consult with my lawyer and we will definitely take legal actions against YOU personally in court of law. You have until next week, September, 23, 2008, to take off your discriminative writing against our company and me as a individual from all the sites you have posted. This is not a matter of freedom of speech due to the fact that YOU are violating my right as a citizen of CANADA!

Third off all, your statement: "Is postering signs on public property the best way to demonstrate the care movers will take with your valuables?" does not make any sense. All our clients were satisfied with the way we do business, and we never received any complains about damaged goods. The statement is complete LIES and your actions well not be tolerated. This is not only annoying but discriminative. Unless it becomes illegal to advertise and bust economy of Toronto we should not receive such mails nor any one else. The real eyesore is your incompetence... Thank you for your time eyesore individual!(sic)

Vectus
_____________________

Dear Vectus,

All Torontonians and Canadians are indebted to your your eyesore junk signs for our health care, police and fire services.

Ville

September 10, 2008

My wife and I saw the picture and story about Lupin Drive in Scarborough. We live just around the corner on Budea Crescent, just off Warden. It's a mess. Why do some people think just because we aren't a rich neighbourhood they have a right to make our streets look terrible.

Budea
______________
Dear Budea,

Could not have said it better!

Ville

September 3, 2008

Yo. Ad Guys. I've decided you're right. The only way to counter this advertising on our streets, lawns and traffic signs is to spray paint them. That let's these creeps know someone is watching and someone really cares. Me and some buddies and my wide, spray paint signs and stickers now almost every weekend. We do just the phone numbers sop people can see the name of the creepy advertisers making a mess in our city but spraying the phone numbers out.

I hate doing it, but it's something we ca all do and, it's fun giving these creepy people a taste of their own medicine.

Sprayer
________________________

Dear Sprayer,

The TAHS did not support this view at first because it was thought to be a radical view and somewhat akin to graffiti painters.

However, this view has now changed.

Ville

August 13, 2008 -

I'm a first-time Blogger and I'm tired of pulling this damn signs our of the lawn every time I have to do the mowing. Me and a neighbour started waling around the block the other day around Kipling and Dixon around Kingsview and Blackfriar and Campertown and Bridesburg and I bet we pulled up more than 20 of those signs out of the lawns. It feels dumb walking around and pulling signs out of lawns but how else would anyone know how much we hate them.

Mower Mad home owner
____________________
Dear Mower Mad,

You've described the problem and the frustration very well. The best we can all do is keeping pulling those signs out and call to complain and don't use their services. 416-619-4456. Tell friends and neighbours about these eyesore signs and contact city Councillor Howard Moscoe councillor_moscoe@toronto.ca to complain.

August 8, 2008

Dear TAHS,

I saw two young people, maybe in their early 20's, spray painting the phone numbers out of those signs stuck to traffic lights and street light poles and traffic signs. They were just spraying the phone numbers and not the rest of the signs. What's that all about? Is it a good idea?

Spray watcher
____________

Dear Spray Watcher,

We've seen this action as well. Recently, one sign sprayer told us he was fed up with all the mess these guys make on our public property and thought that since most of these stickers are too difficult to remove, the next best thing is to take some civic action by spraying the phone numbers out. When asked why not just spray the entire sign so it looks neater, we were told they thought it was more effective to cover the phone numbers alone so that eyesore junk sign people will know someone is watching. If they covered the entire sticker with, say gray metal paint to match the metal sign backs, the eyesore advertisers would take that as a "sign" they can simply put new stickers on. That's what City Asphalt Sealing of Richmond Hill does throughout Toronto every day; they manage to plaster new traffic signs and newly painted traffic signs within two days of painting or installation. One estimate suggests City Asphalt Sealing has plasters in excess of 50,000 Toronto traffic signs. That company is a disgrace to Toronto, in our opinion.

To spray or not to spray, that 's the rub!

Ville