Editorial: Park benches, yes; park couches, no

A nice thing about late-season snowfalls -- OK, make that the nice thing -- is that they hide, for the moment, some of the trash that's been emerging crocus-like from the dwindling snow cover. At least it hides the little stuff. But serious litter like this couch and matching loveseat shines through whatever Mother Nature dishes out -- by virtue of size, yes, but also thanks to the loud floral design of the slipcovers.

We do not judge. A member of the editorial board has an identical piece at home.

For a couple of weeks, this set of furnishings has lain in a ravine on the St. Paul riverfront, evidently having been heaved over the retaining wall at the intersection of Goodrich Avenue and Mississippi River Boulevard. If it's still there a week from Saturday, it might pose a challenge to volunteers taking part in the Spring Parks Cleanup organized through the city's Parks and Recreation Division. Last year the event drew about 1,000 volunteers to the city parks, said cleanup coordinator Meghan Manhatton. She cautioned, though, that anything as large as a couch and loveseat would be turned over to the professional staff to pick up.

"We don't want anyone to hurt themselves," she said.

Karin Misiewicz, a park maintenance supervisor, said such illegal dumping happens frequently. "People will just go dump couches and chairs and stuff in the parks," she said. Charming. Maybe it's unrealistic to ask for consideration from such people, but why not just leave things at street level, instead of putting park employees through the extra work of pulling junk out of ravines?