Standard Auto Wreckers faces a complete ban on parking and stopping around its location on Sewells Road and Steeles Avenue after a city investigation found dumping "appearing to be related" to its customers.

A report to Scarborough Community Council this week stated some of the parking on Sewells is "unsafe," though it added "a significant collision history has not manifested itself."

Co-owner Ken Gold called those conclusions "totally false" and suggested councillors were trying to force his 40-year-old business out of the park.

"You're going to lose about 30 jobs" if the no-stopping regulations along 200 metres of Steeles and on Sewells from Steeles to Old Finch Avenue are put in place, he said in an interview this week.

Dumping of a variety of trash is persistent on Sewells south of the wrecking yard, a rural road where enforcement is difficult.

Staff say they are recommending the "no stopping" zones to stop illegal dumping as well as "unsafe stopping, standing and parking activities" around the wrecking yard.

During the meeting, Ward 38 (Scarborough Centre) Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker said he supports the regulations, adding in the past he'd seen "these cars park right up to the railway tracks" at a Canadian National Railway crossing on Sewells.

It's fortunate no one was hurt as a result, he said.

De Baeremaeker also said he had witnessed Standard Auto customers littering, "people taking off their tailpipe and tossing the tailpipe into the ditch."

The area is a mess, he said. "We will have to hire a police officer 60 hours a week to stop illegal parking and dumping."

After the meeting, during which the matter was put off until January at his company's request, Gold said De Baeremaker was exaggerating, making something he had seen once seem routine.

Gold said police and his security guards tell customers not to park illegally and barriers were put up along the rails years ago.

"On Saturday, it gets a little busy. Big deal," Gold said. "It's a two-lane road, what do you expect?"

De Baeremaeker, an environmentalist, is "a blinded individual" hostile to businesses in the park, said Gold, adding his customers would take a parking ban personally. "Frogs and salamanders don't work, pay taxes and vote, people do."

Among the 10 people ready to speak on Gold's behalf were a high school shop teacher, a sculptor and a filmmaker, each of whom has used the wrecker's yard for materials.

Gold said he's been wrong to keep a low profile. "I know I'm in the Rouge Park and I tried to hide from them; I shouldn't have."

The report credits Ward 42 (Scarborough-Rouge River) Councillor Raymond Cho with the idea of posted no-stopping zones to discourage dumping but this week it was Cho who asked for the delay, saying the environment is important but employment equally so.

Ward 39 (Scarborough-Agincourt) Councillor Mike Del Grande noted staff had not reported any violation history for Standard Auto. The report "insinuates there is a problem with this business" but does not back that up, he said.

But Ward 44 (Scarborough East) Councillor Ron Moeser said his first choice would be relocating the business, adding he found using Sewells to be a challenge. "I don't take the road anymore, not on a busy day."

Rouge Park's general manager Lewis Yeager said he believes Standard Auto "are pretty vigorous about being good corporate partners" and that the business and its employees "probably do what they can do" to discourage dumping.

The different regulations may help, but some people will ignore the rules unless they are vigorously enforced by bylaw officers or police, Yeager said.

The park is still waiting for the city to fund Rouge Rangers, a new enforcement staff for the park who can catch the lawbreakers and assist visitors.