Someone’s trash has become the park district’s headache.

Several pickup loads of trash have been been dumped on a triangle-shaped piece of property near the dog park and ball fields on Ault Field Road. It turns out the North Whidbey Park and Recreation owns the property and officials are busy trying to figure out the most affordable way to remove the trash.

“I find it aggravating that the taxpayers have to bear the cost of cleaning it up,” said Bill Walker, executive director of the North Whidbey Park and Recreation District. The taxpayer funded entity is best known for owning and operating the John Vanderzicht Memorial Pool in Oak Harbor.

Walker, who was hired in May as executive director, didn’t realize the district owned the field next to the

dog park. He was fielding complaints about the trash and researched property records to find that North Whidbey Park and Recreation is the owner of the property that is approximately a half acre in size.

The park district received the property years ago from the Navy when it was declared surplus. Most of the land was used for a baseball diamond and a softball field along with the dog park.

A barricade had been placed on the service road to help bar entry to the unused property, but that was knocked down.

Walker is contacting local disposal companies to figure out the best way to remove the trash. He didn’t have a dollar amount yet on the cost of the trash removal.

Once the property is cleared and the barricade restored, then part district officials will look into finding a use for the property.