City’s annual leaf collection program is changing

In the spirit of the fall season, our annual leaf collection program is starting and will welcome some new changes. As part of the updated collection program, leaves that do not fit in residents green bins will now be collected by City crews over four designated weekends.

Residents are asked to clear leaves from their sidewalks, boulevards, and property and add them to their Green Bin (food scraps and yard waste) until they are full. Green Bins will continue to be collected each week according to residents’ regular collection schedule.

Leaves that do not fit in green bins can be placed in biodegradable paper yard waste bags and will be collected city-wide on the following designated weekends:

            §  October 24-25, 2015
            §  November 14-15, 2015
            §  December 12-13, 2015
            §  January 16-17, 2016 (will include Christmas trees collection )

To prevent leaves from becoming wet or paper bags from breaking, extra leaves should be stored in a dry or covered area before being set out for collection.

The new weekend leaf collection schedule can be found online or by phoning 3-1-1. Disposing of leaves on boulevards or City property (including parks) is illeagal dumping, and can result in a fine of up to $2000. By properly disposing of leaves, you help keep Vancouver Spectacular!

Collected leaves are turned into nutrient-rich compost at the Vancouver Landfill. This compost can be purchased by residential gardeners, commercial landscapers, and municipal park boards. Leaves and other yard trimmings can also be dropped off for composting at the Vancover South Transfer Station located at 377 W. Kent Ave North and at the Vancouver Landfill located at 5400 72nd Street in Delta.

City crews will begin to clear streets of leaves in late November with added focus on streets with higher volumes of leaves. If temporary "no parking" signs are posted on a side of the street, residents are required to move vehicles to another parking spot before 7:00 a.m. on the date indicated. This enables crews to do a better job of clearing streets of leaves.

At times, crews may be delayed clearing streets of leaves in some neighbourhoods with large amounts of leaves. Crews will return to areas as soon as possible to complete the clearing of leaves.

Leaves can create issues for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. Removal of leaves from catch basins also helps prevent flooding during the fall and winter months. Helpful guidelines on the City’s leaves collection service can be found at vancouver.ca/leaves.

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Media Contact:

Corporate Communications

604.871.6336

media@vancouver.ca

Vounteer to make your city a better place

The City of Vancouver is currently seeking volunteers from the general public for positions on the following civic agencies and committees:

Active Transportation and Policy Council
Children, Youth and Families Advisory Committee
Chinatown Historic Area Planning Committee
Development Permit Board Advisory Panel
First Shaughnessy Advisory Design Panel
Gastown Historic Area Planning Committee
Public Art Committee
Renters Advisory Committee
Urban Aboriginal Peoples’ Advisory Committee
Vancouver City Planning Commission
Vancouver Civic Theatres Board
Vancouver Heritage Commission
Vancouver Public Library Board

The detailed descriptions of the terms of reference, eligibility requirements and time commitment, as well as the online application and instructions are available at: www.vancouver.ca/volunteer.

When it comes to blowing leaves around uselessly and creating an insane amount of noise

New Yorker Cartoon  By: Tom Toro, September 28, 2015

Trees are so awesome that the Park Board is almost giving them away for free

Vancouver Park Board

Media Advisory

October 1, 2015

 

The Vancouver Park Board is selling a variety of young trees for a modest $10 to help residents grow the city’s urban tree canopy.

 The 6-foot tall trees in 7-10 gallon pots will be available to Vancouver residents (with proof of residency) at the Park Board head office during the second annual Doors Open Vancouver on Saturday, October 3 between 10 am and 5 pm. The Board office is one of 18 City of Vancouver sites open to the public.

 “The Park Board has a long history of planting and caring for trees in green spaces and parks across Vancouver, but we need residents to also plant trees on their property in order to increase the urban tree canopy. I encourage families to come down during the Doors Open event where they can get a great deal on a tree for their front or back yard,” said Vancouver Park Board Chair John Coupar.

Media are invited to learn more:

When: Friday, October 2, 2015 @ 1 pm

Where: Vancouver Park Board head office, 2099 Beach Avenue

Who: Park Board Chair John Coupar, Park Board Urban Forestry Strategy Project Manager Katherine Isaac and urban forestry crews

What: Fruit, flowering, shade and conifer trees for sale October 3

 The trees being sold include fruit (Italian prune plums, apple and cherry), flowering (Snowcone Japanese Snowbell and Magnolia ‘Randy’), shade (Katsura and Autumn Gold Ginkgo) and conifers (dwarf mountain pine ‘mops’ and Frohburg Weeping Norway spruce) valued at up to $100 each. There is a limit of five trees per person.

 The Park Board is targeting to plant 11,000 new trees, including on private property, this year in support of the City of Vancouver’s Urban Forest Strategy, which was endorsed by the Park Board and City Council in April 2014.

 Vancouver is home to an urban forest with more than 140,000 street trees and 340,000 park trees along with trees on private property. The urban forest plays important environmental and social roles, such as cleaning the air, absorbing storm water, storing carbon, providing habitat and improving health and well-being.

 Every tree in our city makes up what is known as Vancouver’s urban forest. Today, 18 percent of Vancouver is covered by tree canopy (ground area is covered by tree leaf canopies as seen from the air) on par with Victoria and Seattle, but down from 22.5 percent in 1995.

 As our canopy declines, so do the benefits provided by the urban forest including cleaning the air, absorbing carbon dioxide, managing rain water and providing wildlife habitat.

 Residents with questions are encouraged to contact pbtree@vancouver.ca.

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Media contact:

Vancouver Park Board

604-257-8440