Duane Hicks
The town is looking for more volunteers to help with its “Fight the Blight” campaign.
Next week is the first week of the campaign (May 9-13), when the town will waive all bag tag requirements on residential garbage collection.
But more helping hands are needed for the town-wide clean-up portion the following week (May 16-19), when residents will arrange to have household items and yard waste picked up by volunteers.
“We’re looking for volunteers,” said bylaw officer Patrick Briere. “We want to push more volunteers to call in.
“We’ve been getting a decent turnout but we can use some more help,” he noted.
“We’re looking for help on Monday [May 16] and Thursday [May 19], for sure, but we’ll take any help we can get.
“Anybody’s who willing to help give us a hand—we’d greatly appreciate it,” Briere added.
He said people can donate their time, businesses can donate their staffs’ time, or people can donate use of trucks and the town will find extra bodies to do the loading and unloading.
“We’ll work with anybody, whatever their circumstance is,” stressed Briere, adding several local businesses are volunteering vehicles and/or staff for the town-wide clean-up.
“The feedback’s all positive. We’re pretty excited for it,” he enthused.
To volunteer, contact the town at 274-5323.
At the same time, residents who want their items picked up the week of May 16-19 are urged to call the town at 274-5323 or e-mail town@fort-frances.com
Briere said about 100 residents have arranged for pick-up so far, noting they want to get rid of “anything from A to Z.”
These include a milk separator, sofas, TVs, computers, tires, truck toppers, dishwashers, garage doors, composters, Adirondack chairs, and shelving units.
“People are doing renovations to their houses so we’re getting reno waste,” noted Briere.
But he stressed it’s crucial people call or e-mail in advance so organizers can send the right volunteers to the right places.
For example, if a resident wants to get rid of brush and trees, the Fort Frances Power Corp. and its wood chipper will be deployed.
Likewise, if a resident wants to get rid of a old fridge, the right crew will be sent there to get it.
The town will be divided into four equal areas based on the current refuse collection schedule.
Clean-up will take place in the areas on the following days:
•Area 5 (residents with a white garbage collection calendar) will be picked up Monday, May 16;
•Area 1 (orange) will be picked up Tuesday, May 17;
•Areas 2 (green) and 3 (blue) will be picked Wednesday, May 18; and
•Area 4 (yellow) will be picked up Thursday, May 19.
As noted, for the first week of the campaign (May 9-13), residents do not have to use bag tags when they put out their garbage for the usual weekly pickup.
This means residents can put out as many receptacles or bags as they want—as long as these comply with the usual 40-pound weight limit.
This will be followed up by two free tipping days next weekend (May 14-15) at the local landfill.
The dump will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. both days.
During those days, anyone disposing of items at the dump will be asked to provide proof of residency by showing a current tax bill, utility bill, or driver’s licence.
If residents are unable to get their unwanted items to the landfill themselves, town staff and volunteers will be picking up remaining junk during the town-wide clean-up May 16-19.
