HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-06-076 - Leaf Collection Program - Comperative Levels of Service
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Community Services
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Report To:
Date of Meeting:
Submitted By:
Prepared By:
Ward(s) Involved:
Date of Report:
Report No.:
Subject:
Community Services Committee
June 26, 2006
Ken Currier, Director of Operations
Scott Berry, Manager of Maintenance Operations
All
May 8, 2006
CSD-06-076
RECOMMENDATION:
LEAF COLLECTION PROGRAM - COMPARATIVE LEVELS
OF SERVICE.
For information purposes only.
BACKGROUND:
In October 2005, Community Services Committee received report CSD-05-113, Leaf Collection
Program Update 2005 for information purposes.
Part of the conclusion contained in that report stated a review following the 2005 leaf collection
program would take place within CSD Operations, and these findings would be brought back to
Community Services Committee in 2006.
REPORT:
The purpose of this report is to define the various components of Kitchener's leaf collection
program and to compare these components to neighboring municipalities from a level of service
prospective.
PROGRAM LENGTH:
For comparison purposes, areas of program length, leaf collection options, and communication
efforts will be reviewed.
The City of Waterloo generally starts their program the first week after mid October, and the
program runs for 6 weeks. Staff resources are adjusted based on leaf drop volumes. The
collection activity generally passes individual properties 3 times throughout the program.
The City of Cambridge runs an 8 week program divided into 3 components, starting in mid
October. The first 2 weeks utilize one or two leaf vacuums only. The next 4 weeks see the
Report No: CSD-06-076
majority of the city's resources applied to getting through one quarter of the City each of the four
weeks.
The collection activity generally passes individual properties once throughout the program.
The final 2 weeks of the program see leaf vacuums addressing any outstanding issues, weather
permitting.
The City of Kitchener has no formal start or end dates to the leaf program as leaf drops can vary
substantially from year to year. Having said that, the Operations Division gears up for a mid-
October start and plan for a 6 week program, with contingency plans to mobilize earlier, or
continue the program longer as conditions dictate and weather permits.
The collection activity passes individual properties anywhere from once, for very light leaf
volume streets, to up to six or more times for very heavy leaf volume streets throughout the
program.
LEAF DISPOSAL OPTIONS
The City of Waterloo has 2 options, (1) loose leaf curbside collection, (2) mulching and
composting is encouraged on individual properties.
The City of Cambridge has 2 options, (1) loose leaf curbside collection, (2) mulching and
composting is encouraged on individual properties.
The City of Kitchener has 3 options for the 2006 Leaf Collection Program, (1) loose leaf
curbside collection, (2) mulching and composting is encouraged on individual properties, (3)
twelve leaf drop off sites are proposed to be in operation, however; Operations staff are
currently exploring options that may see this number increase by fall 2006.
Operations staff are very pleased with the performance of the leaf dump sites and the role these
sites have in the overall leaf collection program. In each of the 2004 and 2005 seasons,
approximately 2000 tonnes of leaves were dropped off at these sites. This represents
approximately 60% of the total tonnage of leaves collected in the leaf collection program.
Residents in all 3 municipalities can also take advantage of the Region of Waterloo's bi-weekly
collection of yard waste, April through November each year.
COMMUNICATION
The City of Waterloo uses its internet site to communicate information via online mapping to
residents and the Mayor's Office as to where leaf collection activities will be occurring over the
upcoming 2 days.
Notices which were created by City of Kitchener communications and marketing staff and
shared with Waterloo to ensure a consistency of information are delivered to individual houses
in areas benefiting from the leaf collection component of the Shared Services Agreement
between the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo. Brochures outlining the leaf collection program
are available at city facilities, additionally full page ads appear in the Waterloo Chronicle.
The City of Cambridge publishes details of the leaf collection program in local newspapers and
has this information available on the city's internet site. Residents are informed which week city
staff will be in each of the four sections of the city. Deadlines are set for residents to rake to the
curb in each area.
Report No: CSD-06-076
The City of Kitchener communicates to the Mayor's Office and other identified city staff, on a
daily basis as to locations where leaf collection activities have occurred each day during the
program. Further, each week, information is communicated to this group as to where leaf
collection activities will be occurring over the upcoming 5 days. This information is also posted
on the corporate internet site for residents.
Brochures outlining the leaf collection program aremailedtoeveryhouseholdinKitchener.ln
addition, notices are delivered to individual houses that are located in areas benefiting from the
leaf collection component of the Shared Services Agreement between the Cities of Kitchener
and Waterloo. Your Kitchener and Leisure magazine publications are utilized as well as
brochures outlining the leaf collection program are available at city facilities.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
N/A
COMMUNICATIONS:
N/A
CONCLUSION:
CSD staff believes the City of Kitchener's current leaf collection program is both effective and
efficient, offering residents a wide variety of options to address the fall leaf drop.
Ken Currier, Director of Operations
Community Services