Duane Hicks
Local residents will have ample opportunity to get rid of items cluttering up their properties during the “Fight the Blight” campaign in May.
The town’s bylaw enforcement department has been working for the past of couple months to plan the community-wide clean-up project, with input from local resident Walter Horban.
For the week of May 9-13, the town will waive all bag tag requirements on residential garbage collection.
This means a resident can put out as many receptacles or bags as they want—as long as these comply with the usual 40-pound weight limit, bylaw officer Patrick Briere told council during its regular meeting Monday night.
This will be followed up by two free tipping days (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 show 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 from May 16-19.
The town will be divided into four equal areas based on the current refuse collection schedule (i.e., Area 5 will be picked up May 16, Area 1 on May 17, Areas 2 and 3 on May 18, and Area 4 on May 19).
The idea is for residents to be able to get rid of pretty much anything that’s cluttering up their property.
These can include yard waste, car tires, aged furniture, a rusty barbecue, an old fridge, and pretty much anything else with the exception of household hazardous waste (a special waste day already is scheduled for Sept. 17).
“There’s lots of sofas and fridges and stoves and freezers in yards . . . and it’s time to get rid of them all,” said bylaw officer Arlene Byrnes.
Coun. June Caul asked about old vehicles cluttering up people’s yards.
Byrnes noted North Auto has a program where it will take derelict vehicles for free, and she is trying to get them on board with the clean-up.
Briere stressed all items must be placed at your regular garbage pick-up area; neither town staff nor volunteers will enter any residence to remove items nor demolish any structures.
During these days, there will be a marshal at the landfill to allow quick access for town and volunteer vehicles.
Vehicles working for the campaign will be provided with a vehicle I.D. pass to provide priority access.
This also will be done with the town’s garbage contractor to ensure it has priority access to the landfill as it will be doing its regular pick-up during this week.
Residents are encouraged to call the bylaw office (274-5323) ahead of time if they have items to be picked up.
That way, they will have a listing of where they have to be on what day and what the workload will be, said Briere.
“We’re also going to be doing a call-out to the public, as well looking for some volunteers, kind of similar to what we did in the past with different events like the Kraft Celebration Tour or Duncan Keith Day,” he added.
“We’re trying to bring some excitement through this initiative; make it big.”
Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig said “Fight the Blight” stemmed from a request by the local Chamber of Commerce during last year’s strategic planning process.
The idea is to improve the appearance of the town.
McCaig added the project is likely “a one-off”—a chance for people to clean up their properties—and it fosters civic pride.
“We want to facilitate it, we want to lead it this year, but it’s not something we’re necessarily doing every year,” he noted.
“But we’re hoping that, through this, people get excited enough about keeping your community clean that somebody else will pick up the mantle, some groups will pick up the mantle, in the future and continue to do this.”
Coun. Wendy Brunetta, who is the town’s rep on the Chamber board, said she is “thrilled” the town has adopted the project.
“I’m really excited about it, and I really encourage everyone in the community to take advantage of this and clean up our community,” she remarked.
The public can expect to see more about “Fight the Blight” in the weeks leading up to the event.
