YORKTON - Once again Yorkton residents will be able to haul winter refuse to the city landfill free for a week in May, albeit with a list of restrictions and requirements to deal with.
“It has been customary for the City of Yorkton, with the recommendation from the Environmental Committee, to hold an annual Spring Yard Waste Clean-Up Week,” explained Lyndon Hicks – Solid Waste and Environmental Programs Manager with the city at a recent regular meeting of Yorkton Council.
“In order to encourage City residents and School Divisions to clean up their yards and their school grounds, Council has in previous years waived the landfill entrance fees during this week for disposal of winter debris.”
This year the program will run from May 8 to 13, during regular landfill hours Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
It’s a very solid program in as much as it is at least in-part a program which encourages residents to keep our community clean.
That’s an important factor for residents to consider.
Tourism we know is an important part of the local economy, and while visitors might initially come for any number of reasons, golf, weekend event attractions, family, having a ‘clean’ community certainly enhances any visit, and sends visitors home with a better view of our city.
A good step in keeping the city clean starts with individual yards, and after a long Saskatchewan winter yards can be places where a lot of ‘winter debris’ accumulates – things such as grass, leaves, broken tree branches, grass mixed with garbage and debris that has collected and accumulated on properties, detailed Hicks.
Of course, there is more to keeping our city beautiful than keeping yards clean.
There are many little things we can all do, such as making sure fast food packaging goes into a garbage receptacle, or goes home to a garbage can there, and not out the car window.
Or, making sure to scoop the poop when out walking canine companions.
In simple terms it really comes down to having pride in community, and making sure we have a clean city to enjoy, and spring yard clean-up is a good way to start that effort.
