Skip to content

Free Dump Week gets dumped

City of Wetaskiwin set to hold Take It or Leave Day on Earth Day
10847723_web1_170630-WPF-M-Wet-city-hall-2WEB

Free Dump Week has been eliminated in the City of Wetaskiwin and replacing it is a one-day Take It or Leave It pilot project.

Councillors discussed multiple Take It or Leave It program options during their Feb. 26 council meeting.

The first option was a one-day Take It or Leave It Day, in which an estimated 10 staff would be needed. This option was the one eventually approved by council and it will take place April 22, 2018.

The costs of a one day Take It or Leave It program is about $3,000 and what is left over at the end of the day will be transported into the landfill.

Coun. Patricia MacQuarrie is not in favour of the one-day program. “It doesn’t solve what I was hoping for.”

“I think one day to do it is good enough,” said Coun. Alan Hilgartner.

Option two was a permanent Take It or Leave It site, possibly at the Wetaskiwin landfill or the Wetaskiwin Recycling Centre. A permanent site would have costed between $28,000 and $36,000.

“The permanent option, we could get some grant money through FCM (Federation of Canadian Municipalities),” Sue Howard, director of engineering development.

Other questions surrounding a permanent site were ongoing costs to run the program and how long could an item stay before staff had to move it to the landfill.

A third option was a city wide Take It or Leave It day where items could be placed on people’s curbs. However, council felt a downside of the option was that it would take 12 staff and four trucks to transport everything left over to the landfill; it was also discussed that people would have to take back what was left on their property at the end of the day.

Although he is not against the program, Coun. Wayne Neilson says he is having trouble understanding what people’s motivation will be to get involved with the program, as well as the logistics.

“I struggle with it too, logistically … Unless you build a permanent structure,” said mayor Tyler Gandam. However, he did not want to invest too much into the project without first having an idea of how residents will respond to the program.

amelia.naismith@pipestoneflyer.ca