LUBBOCK, Texas — A bird’s eye view shows Lubbock’s playa lakes and private property littered with trash. Lubbock’s Parks & Recreation said cleaning up the mess is an on-going problem.

“Every day our guys are finding something,” said Ronny Gallagher, Parks Operations Manager. “A lot of it is plastic bags, and generic trash, but it’s always there.”

Gallagher said the amount of trash their crews have to clean up costs taxpayers money. He said Lubbock averages 50 to 60 tons of trash per year recovered in parks and playa lakes.

“It definetely costing you and me money, because we have to pay the crews that come out and do nothing but pick up trash,” Gallagher said. “It’s a huge expense for the city.”

The playa lakes we visited are listed below:

  • University Avenue & 66th Street (Behind the old Kmart)
  • 4th Street & W. Loop 289
  • Clapp Park