Residents living across from Mount Trashmore Park say the name has started to feel a little too literal.
What should be a scenic neighborhood waterway has become a stagnant, trash-filled canal that smells in the heat, breeds mosquitoes, and diminishes their quality of life.
Here's what to know
Homeowners on Woodlake Road in Virginia Beach told WAVY that the canal behind their properties has been getting worse for years.
Tiffany Evans said lower water levels have left the canal barely moving while litter keeps collecting.
"Trash is accumulating and just the smell alone in the summertime, I mean, God, I can't believe anybody would even want to walk past this," she explained to the station.
Shelia Ferguson, who has lived near Mount Trashmore for more than 50 years, said she has seen the creek shift from a maintained waterway to one that has been neglected.
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Residents said the problems have become part of daily life. Evans said the creek smells strongly in the summer.
"The mosquitoes have been the worst I've ever seen," she noted to WAVY.
Robert Greeley said he goes down to the canal with a bucket about once a week to pick up debris that has drifted in. He also said trees and other overgrowth now block what used to be his view of Lake Trashmore.
More background
Stagnant waterways can bring foul odors, more mosquitoes, and degraded habitat.
Greeley told the station that the lost lake view is now hurting his property value because the scenery he said motivated the home purchase has been obscured by trees and brush.
Ferguson said the issue is part of a broader, long-term lack of maintenance, not something affecting only one yard.
"It's got to be dredged," Ferguson told WAVY. "I'm tired of the city saying we're going to, and then they don't."
What can be done?
For communities dealing with similar issues, documentation can make a difference. Photos of trash buildup, standing water, blocked sightlines, and recurring pest problems can help residents make a clearer case when reporting concerns to local public works, parks, or stormwater departments.
Small volunteer cleanup efforts may help at the margins, but they are not a substitute for routine public maintenance when a waterway needs dredging or vegetation management. In situations like this, fixes typically depend on follow-through from the local government.
Restoring water flow, removing built-up debris, and managing overgrowth would address the conditions that appear to be making the canal dirtier, smellier, and less usable. WAVY did catch up with District 3 Councilmember Michael Berlucchi, who pleaded ignorance of the issue, but said he'd hear out the residents.
"I'm glad that my neighbors are speaking up about the concerns they have, and I'm looking forward to connecting with them to make sure they're addressed," Berlucchi said.
For Ferguson, watching the change from how the lake was kept to how it is now has been painful.
"It was beautiful," she recounted to WAVY. "They kept everything trimmed. The canal was just in great shape, and then as time went on, it kept getting ignored and ignored. Now, it's full of trash. It's just so unkempt and now, even the critters can't survive."
Where can I learn more?
Similar complaints are surfacing elsewhere, where routine upkeep has slipped and the effects are hard to miss. Dumping, litter, and neglected public spaces can shape everyday life well beyond a single canal.
• In Kinloch, Missouri, decades of illegal dumping left residents surrounded by worsening waste and cleanup delays.
• One new homeowner found a backyard used as a trash dump that undermined the property.
• At Japan's Mount Fuji, fears grew as litter piled up around the landmark.
• In one neighborhood, disposable vapes scattered across sidewalks became a routine and disgusting sight.
• In Salem, Massachusetts, city's icy sidewalks exposed broader frustrations over neglected public maintenance.
The pattern is familiar: once maintenance slips, quality of life can decline fast. That helps explain why residents keep pressing for action before manageable issues turn into lasting ones.
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