For Immediate Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 28, 2010
City begins zone loose-leaf collection
KITCHENER -- The city’s loose-leaf collection begins Nov. 8 for identified
heavily forested zones. The 2010 leaf collection map identifying the zones
can be viewed at local community centres, or online at www.kitchener.ca
Residents living in one of the more heavily forested areas identified as a
coloured area (other than blue “hot spots”) on the 2010 loose leaf collection
map can continue to rake leaves to the curb for one scheduled leaf pick-up.
Do not place leaves on the roadway earlier than the weekend prior to your
week of collection. People who place their leaves on the roadway too early
will be asked to remove them until the appropriate time. Leaves must be at
the curbside before 7 a.m. on the first day of the week that they are
scheduled for pick-up.
Leaves will be collected once during the month of November on the
following dates:
Green zone: Nov. 8-12
Pink zone: Nov. 15-19
Brown zone: Nov. 22-26
Blue zone: Hot spot; pick-up will be as required until Nov. 30.
“Hot spots” are heavily forested areas with significantly higher than average
leaf drop (shown in blue on the map). These areas have higher volumes of
trees and require additional attention to ensure that leaves do not create
safety hazards on the roadways.
Residents who live on a street within a hot spot can rake leaves to the curb
from the beginning of the program through the end of November. To ensure
the safety of our roadways, these areas will be monitored and maintained
more frequently, with curbside collection done as required by volume –
throughout the month of November.
Residents can use the online tool to find out if they live in a hot spot, or the
leaf collection options for their specific address at
http://www.kitchener.ca/en/livinginkitchener/CurbsideCollection.asp. More
information is also available by calling 519-741-2529.
Drop-off sites, located in neighbourhoods across the city, are open seven
days a week during daylight hours until the end of November. The drop-off
sites are for leaves only. The sites will be monitored by city staff and a
zero tolerance approach will be taken with any offenders found dropping off
materials other than leaves. The nine leaf drop-off locations include:








Schaeffer Park - Bloomingdale Road
Breithaupt Park - Kinsman Park, off Union Street
Kitchener Auditorium - Ottawa Street, North entrance
Meinzinger Park Soccer Fields - Homer Watson Boulevard
Lions Arena - Rittenhouse Road
South West Optimist Sportsfield - Pioneer Drive
Cherry Park - Strange Street and Waverly Road
Victoria Street South at Eastforest Trail - Eastforest Trail
parking lot

Hofstetter Park - 40 Hofstetter Ave.
Maple leaves with black spots should be brought to one of nine city drop-off
sites or disposed of through the Region of Waterloo’s bi-weekly yard waste
collection program. For more information about tar spots visit the University
of Guelph website at www.uoguelph.ca Search “tar spots”
Leaves from ash trees that may be impacted by the Emerald Ash Borer are
permitted in the leaf program.
All residents – no matter where they live in the city – are encouraged to use
this order of preferences when dealing with their leaves:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Mulch them with the lawn mower if possible or practical.
Compost the leaves on your property if possible.
Take your leaves to one of the nine approved leaf drop-off sites.
Bag your leaves for pick-up as yard waste on the designated
days.
5. For those properties in the designated areas only, rake the
leaves to the curb for pickup by the city by the Sunday before
the designated week.
See attached 2010 leaf collection map for zone identification.
-30For more information: