TRURO – Colchester County is embarking on a pilot project in an effort to improve its garbage collection in cottage areas.
The pilot is to run from November until May, during the months when garbage is not collected regularly in cottage country areas such as Shortts Lake. Full-time residents living on Baptist Point Lane and Cottage Lane in Shortts Lake are the only ones affected by the pilot project.
Currently, those residents must bring their garbage to a central area to be picked up but some residents have been asking for door-to-door service.
Baptist Point Lane is a private road that doesn’t have a turning area and is not wide enough to accommodate the large garbage trucks that normally make the run. The residents do not want to have the road widened so the county is making arrangements through its garbage hauler (Truro Sanitation) to use a smaller truck.
As well, Cottage Lane cannot be serviced by the full-sized hauler but can accommodate the contractor’s three-ton truck for most of the laneway. Although the civic numbers go to 537, it is expected the hauler will only be able to go as far as #507, council heard.
However, all residents on roads that receive full service are to pay the annual garbage collection fee of $70.50 as opposed to the seasonal rate of $47.50 they currently pay.
“Are we going to start a range war with the people who don’t want the service?” asked Coun. Ron Cavanaugh.
Other councillors expressed the opinion that if residents want full service, they should allow the lane to be brought up to public road standards.
“This seems totally ridiculous to me,” Coun. Mike Cooper said, of the fact that while residents want their garbage to be picked up at their driveways, they do not want the laneway upgraded.
County records show there are 15 full-time residents who bring their garbage to the intersection of Baptist Point and Cottage lanes for pickup. But Coun. Bill Masters said there are actually now 29 full-time residents in that area.
A separate motion was passed to have the municipality staff take a look at updating its records as to how many county residences are actually full-time and which are seasonal and how those residents should properly be charged for garbage collection.

hsullivan@trurodaily.com