Three Windsor-Essex communities now have a plan to help residents clean up after last week's ice storm.
The Towns of Tecumseh and Essex and the Municipality of Lakeshore have begun the process of picking up debris from Wednesday's storm, which resulted in damaged trees, broken limbs, and thousands of people without hydro.
Each municipality has its own system for clean up, and residents are asked to prepare by gathering any debris they want to be cleared.
Essex
The Town of Essex has already started a yard waste clean-up for small and medium-sized branches. The first collection is expected to be completed in all urban centres within the next three weeks.
"Given the extent of damage caused by the winter storm, there is a high volume of downed branches in the area," said Mayor Sherry Bondy. "We ask residents to be patient as it will take time for our limited crew to service all locations."
If you had tree debris on your property, the Town has asked that you bundle the branches in bundles, no more than 48 inches in length, and leave them curbside for pickup. The branches should be placed well out of the way of traffic and not block driveways, sidewalks, or winter control operations. Residents with large pieces of debris, on private property, are responsible for making their own clearing arrangements.
Branches can also be dropped off at EWSWA depots. Those under 18 inches in diameter and less than 48 inches long can be dropped off free of charge. Branches or stumps over 18 inches in diameter but less than 36 inches long can be dropped off but will be charged as garbage.
The Town's official website has complete details on branch cleanup.
Lakeshore
The Municipality will begin pickup on Saturday and complete it by Friday, March 10.
Residents are asked to make sure debris is placed curbside, in a safe manner that does not obstruct driveways, sidewalks, or roads, by this Friday afternoon. Branches will be put through woodchippers.
Only fallen branches will be picked up. Yard waste will not be.
The areas being offered this service include north of County Road 42, from County Road 19 to County Road 22 to the east limit of Belle River; north and south Woodslee, Staples, Ruscom, St. Joachim, Stoney Point, Comber, Lighthouse Cove, and shoreline areas, along the north shore.
Visit the Municipality's official website for more information.
Tecumseh
The Town's public works department has been working since the ice storm to clear roadways, sidewalks, and municipal parking lots of storm debris.
Starting Wednesday, crews will do a one-off cleanup, and residents are asked to safely place their debris curbside no later than Tuesday evening. The cleanup will move through all of the Town's wards and be completed by Tuesday, March 7.
Yard waste will not be collected, and it is the property owner's responsibility to make sure anything they want removed is placed curbside.
Complete information on branch disposal can be found on the Town's official website.
