Crews Remove 100 Dumped Tires From West Rock Park

Parks employees and volunteers cleared a new batch of illegally dumped tires from woods off Springside Avenue while police investigate.

Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in National Parks

Crews Remove 100 Dumped Tires From West Rock Park

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Parks employees and volunteers removed 100 illegally dumped tires from West Rock Park in New Haven. Police are investigating the dumping, which follows a first dump of roughly 550 tires in late August.

Why it matters

More than 650 tires have been dumped in the park's woods since August, raising concerns about pollution near Wintergreen Brook and close to Common Ground High School. Continued dumping forces repeated cleanups that take time and resources from city crews.

The latest dump was cleared in two disposals of 67 and 27 tires, with about 16 remaining that crews hope to remove Monday. Police have not said whether the tires can be traced to a specific source.

The players

Parks Department, City of New Haven

The municipal department responsible for maintaining New Haven's parks, including West Rock Park, and for coordinating tire pickup and disposal.

New Haven Police Department

The city's law enforcement agency, which is investigating the illegal tire dumping in West Rock Park.

The details

The tires were dumped in woods between Springside Avenue and Wintergreen Brook, near Common Ground High School. Crew members hauled them up to the street for Parks Department trucks, which take them to the transfer station on Middletown Avenue; the department is also working to install trail cameras in the area.

Late August: approximately 550 tires were first dumped off Springside Avenue.
Around three weeks before the article: about 20 remaining tires from the first dump were cleared.
Wednesday: 27 tires from the new dump were removed.
Monday: crews plan to remove the remaining approximately 16 tires.

Seasonal Patterns

Illegal dumping in New Haven's parks has become a recurring cleanup task for city crews, and the planned trail cameras mirror the surveillance approach cities use to deter repeat offenders. The scale here, with more than 650 tires since August, is large enough to stand out against routine park maintenance.

Residents who see illegal dumping in New Haven parks can report it to the Parks Department or the police so the investigation and cleanup can proceed. Avoid handling dumped tires directly, since they can hold standing water and harbor pests.

The takeaway

Illegal dumping in public parks is a problem residents can help solve by reporting sightings early. Keeping an eye on local green spaces helps protect the water and the people who use them.