THUMBS Up to the man with physical disabilities that walks the downtown area with a shopping cart using a picker to collect trash. “This guy goes out for hours every day to clean up our city and he has physical limitations. What are you doing to better our community?”

THUMBS Up and “thanks from the organizing committee, the musicians, staff and board members to the 1,500-plus supporters who helped raise over $103,000 for the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra this year through the fruit, cheese and preserves sales. It was a good year!”

THUMBS Down to city maintenance of the trails in Centennial Park. “The trails need fixing on the northwest side of the Trans-Canada Highway. The trail should be repaired all the way to the first big hill. Many runners and walkers have tripped over the tree roots and small rocks that are all along this section of the park. Over the decades I have tripped numerous times and have seen many others fall as well. Please fix these trails.”

THUMBS Up to the five city workers who are “always working so hard at the Sunken Gardens at Hillcrest Park. They look beautiful every year but this year you have outdone yourselves! They are absolutely gorgeous. I enjoy gardening myself and I realize how much hard work goes into keeping them looking that nice. It makes me proud when people from out of town comment on how beautiful the gardens look. Thank you so much for your hard work.”

THUMBS Down to both the local MNR and the city’s Animal Services department. “All over town I see carcasses of adolescent seagulls. They lay there being run over all day, every day until they’ve disintegrated. That’s our city’s way of dealing with it? The MNR lets deer carcasses lie on the sides of highways and rural areas for days as well. My daughter had to see a baby deer carcass half submerged in a puddle for three days. A secondary Thumbs Down goes to Thunder Bay drivers for constantly running these animals over. I realize it can’t always be avoided but if it can, have more of a damn heart.”

THUMBS Down to the man “begging for his ‘hungry’ girlfriend in the County Fair parking lot July 25. The roll of bills you pulled out in the liquor store soon after shows you don’t need to beg for change. You are taking money, and kind acts, away from the people who actually need it.”

THUMBS Up to Anthony who “stopped to assist my wife and I on Highway 61B on July 28. We had a sunny day of driving activities planned when the newly-filled fuel tank on our Honda dropped from beneath the car to the road. He was a great help throughout this ordeal. Thumbs Down to the individual who drove by and yelled ‘jerk’ at my wife while she waited in the hot sun for me to return with a trailer to haul the car home.”

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(Originally published Aug. 3, 2019)

For all the Thumbs, see the print and digital editions of the Chronicle-Journal each Saturday. Submit your Thumbs here.

https://www.chroniclejournal.com/site/forms/online_services/thumbs/thumbs_up_thumbs_down/