Centre Wellington residents are being given some options when it comes to dealing with tree limbs and branches resulting from the December 2013 ice storm.
On April 15, Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj said lots of calls have been coming in asking things such as: what to do with it, is it being picked up and when.
The storm damaged hundreds of trees throughout Centre Wellington and the township is providing residents options to deal with damaged trees and brush generated from the ice storm.
There is free disposal at Wellington County Transfer Stations until May 31. Hours at the County of Wellington Belwood Transfer Station on Wellington Road 19 are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8am to 4pm.
Limbs must be smaller than 10 inches (25cm) in diameter.
The other option is an ice-storm generated brush pick-up being undertaken by Centre Wellington public works. This will happen over the next several weeks.
The township has been divided into eight zones. Each zone has a different time for pick-up and will proceed according to the following schedule:
– urban areas of E1 (Elora north of the Grand River) and F1 (Fergus north of the Grand River), April 14 to May 2;
– urban areas of E2 (Elora south of the Grand River) and F2 (Fergus south of the Grand River), May 5 to 16;
– rural areas north of the Grand River (R1 and R2), May 20 to 30; and
– rural areas south of the Grand River (R3 and R4), June 2 to 13.
For local pick-up, brush piles must be no larger than 3 metres long by 1 metre wide by 1 metre in height (3 cubic metres), with branches less than 6 inches (15cm) in diameter. Pieces of wood larger than 6 inches in diameter will not be picked up.
Ross-Zuj added, “I think there’s a few (piles) out there surpassing that size, but we’ll deal with it.”
Leaves, grass and other debris will not be collected and only one pile per property is permitted.
Ross-Zuj noted that is another aspect the township will need to deal with as a result of neighbours helping neighbours and depositing brush into central piles.
“It’s going to be a long clean up,” she said.
Check the township’s website at www.centrewellington.ca for updates on the progress of brush pick-up in each zone.
A PDF map outlining the collection areas is also included on the website.
In response to council questions, managing director of infrastructure Colin Baker explained that staff will be on the lookout for any signs of termite infestation in the brush.
He added the county has a separate location to store infested material.
