Drumheller residents, along with the Town’s Infrastructure Services department, are gearing up for the annual Kick It to the Curb and Community Clean Up programs, which will begin starting Friday, September 8.
The two initiatives help residents get rid of items they no longer need, while also saving them a trip to the landfill, and gives others the opportunity to pick up something new.
“This year marks the third year that the Community Clean Up program exists in its current form,” says a statement from the Town of Drumheller. “Prior to being held at this time (in the fall), the program was called the Spring Clean Up and was held in the spring months.”
While the timing of the program has changed, the initiative has been in existence for over 20 years.
Last year, crews collected a variety of items, including a total of 50 computers, 15 freon appliances, over 16 metric tonnes of metal, 82 televisions, 145 tires, and 526 paint cans among others.
Between Friday, September 8 and Sunday, September 10, residents can place belongings on their front curb as part of the Kick It to the Curb program. Items should have a “Free” label on it, and those looking for some second-hand treasures should be respectful of others’ properties and only take items marked “Free.”
After Sunday, residents are asked to remove any remaining items from their curb to avoid fines, and are encouraged to consider donating items in good, used condition to a community donation service to keep these items out of landfills.
Then, starting on Monday, September 11 until Thursday, September 21, crews will begin moving through the Town’s various communities to collect items as part of the Community Clean Up. First up on the list are the communities of East Coulee, Cambria, Lehigh, and residences along Highway 10 to Rosedale. Items can be placed in the same location residents would normally leave their regular household garbage.
There are a few rules about what kinds of items can be collected, and how much-no single site is to exceed a half-ton truck in volume, and the program does not accept demolition material, commercial or industrial waste, or household hazardous materials.
While the program does accept appliances with freon, these require a special sticker which can be purchased for $15 at Town Hall prior to the scheduled collection date.
For a full list of accepted materials, and to view the complete 2023 Community Clean Up schedule, see Page 12 of this edition of The Mail or visit https://www.drumheller.ca/live/town-services/community-clean-up.