The lakeside waste collection program offered by the District of Muskoka will serve an estimated 100 extra properties in 2024.
The changes were detailed by Renee Recoskie, the district’s director of waste management and environmental services, during the April 17 Engineering and Public Works Committee meeting.
In her report to committee, she explained how there will be nine “optimized” collection points this year, with the drop-offs at McDonald’s Rd. in Foot’s Bay and Walker’s Point removed from the collection schedule.
Recoskie outlines how both services weren’t used much compared to the other locations.
“By consolidating the district’s efforts at these locations, longer Lakeside servicing windows can be offered including an additional Wednesday event to accommodate various cottaging schedules, in support of this change for Walker’s Point lakeside users,” she continues.
The changes will also see other schedule changes, including a midweek and weekend location added for Spirit Bay.
Recoskie estimates 1,646 properties were serviced in 2023 between the 10 locations with at least 100 more projected to be collected from 2024’s nine spots.
The updated service began last month and will continue until Oct. 13, 2024.
She explains the lakeside program was established as a pilot program for the summer of 2020.
“Lakeside waste collection consists of a collection vehicle accessing a location for a pre-scheduled date and time period to allow residents to dispose of their waste,” says Recoskie. “Separate streams pick-up for both garbage and recycling is available. At this time, since there are only two compartments in the collection vehicles, green bin organics can not be collected during these events and residents are encouraged to bring those materials to a transfer station or manage them at the source.”
She says the program is flexible and staff will continue to work with district council and residents to make sure the schedule makes sense.
“That’s one of the great advantages I see with lakeside waste collection service,” adds Recoskie. “We’re not building permanent infrastructure, by any means, for this type of service offering. We can be responsive to what we’re hearing from the community.”
