As Western senior and York resident Jordan Greek prepares to graduate with a Business degree on Saturday June 12, he is confident to be starting a new chapter in his life. However, he was unsure about what to do with the things that were holding him here in Bellingham—his unwanted furniture.
Lucky for Greek, York neighborhood’s annual Dumpster Day occurs on the first weekend of June, just in time for graduating seniors to get rid of all their unwanted items.
Dumpster Day is an opportunity for York residents to dump trash they don’t want into a large Dumpster set up in the Nelson’s Market parking lot, on Humboldt and Potter Street. Residents can bring almost anything that fits in the 30-cubic-yard Dumpster for no charge, sponsored by Sanitary Service Company. Greek was able to bring a mattress and box spring, as well as his old computer desk and kitchen table.
“I mean it’s really helping me out,” Greek said. “I think it’s better than having people leave stuff on the side of the street saying ‘free.’ ”
What’s going on this year at Dumpster Day
This year, York volunteers are making sure to fit as much junk as possible into the Dumpster, compacting everything that is thrown into the Dumpster so that more people can bring more stuff.
“We don’t want it to end up back in their yards, so let’s try to fit everything,” Anne Mackie said, York Neighborhood Association president and Dumpster Day volunteer.
The event was supposed to start at 8:30 a.m., but neighbors started showing up at as early as 7:45 a.m., and were turned away by some of the volunteers, who told them to come back later.
“Every year it gets shorter and shorter because people learn to come earlier [in the morning],” said Jon Ostbe, owner of Nelson’s Market. “They drive by when it says ‘closed’ and they learn to come earlier [the next year].”
Neighbors and volunteers brought garbage bags, wheelbarrows and even entire trucks full of unwanted items from the neighborhood. Some of the trash found was a rusty lawn mower, a stained rug, old wash baskets, a cracked birdhouse, busted tires, a broken couch and an old barbecue.
One woman even asked if she could bring her old stand-up piano, but volunteers had to turn her away due to lack of space—the Dumpster was completely full by 10 a.m.
The history of Dumpster Day
Dumpster Day started 1979, when volunteers from the Air National Guard would bring an unlimited supply of Dumpsters and go door-to-door with their trucks collecting unwanted items. The funding for this was eventually lost, causing the York Neighborhood Association to recreate the event.
“Every year it’s organized differently, but we still get it done,” Mackie said. “It’s worth a lot because it’s free.”
Neighborhood volunteers reminded York residents frequently before the event to bring their trash on Saturday June 5, and they even passed out fliers to students waiting at the bus stop on Franklin Street as a reminder for the event, said Kirsti Charlton, York Neighborhood Association Vice President.
Greek said he missed the event last year, so he was happy to receive his flier when he was waiting for the bus.
“I knew the event was coming up, I just didn’t know when,” Greek said. “I have been using this bed for three years and I won’t have room for it after I graduate. I had to make sure I didn’t miss [Dumpster Day] this year.”
“Ultimately, property owners and landlords needs to take responsibility,” Mackie said. “A lot of young people have a lot of stuff they need to get rid of, and they don’t know what to do with it.”
What the neighborhood plans for next year
As for next year, plans are being discussed on having two Dumpsters instead of one—one for garbage, and one for recycling. However Mackie is unsure that the neighborhood would be able to get two Dumpsters for free.
“If we can get them for free, and find another location like [Nelson’s Market] to keep them at night, then I’m sure we can figure something out,” Mackie said.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Need to get rid of some old junk, but just don’t know what to do with it? York neighbors get ready for Annual Dumpster Day this Saturday June 5, at 8:30 a.m. Residents are invited to bring all unwanted items to the Nelson’s Market parking lot until the dumpster is full, which is usually by 10 a.m.
The event is being hosted by neighborhood volunteers and is supported by Sanitary Service Company Inc., who provides the neighborhood with a 30-yard dumpster. The dumpster is placed in the Nelson’s Market parking lot, where the contents are disposed of by Recomp of Washington. All efforts are free of charge.
What you can bring:
Residents are encouraged to bring anything from old mattresses to junk found in alley ways, and of course their work gloves.
What you can’t bring:
Yard Waste: Visit the City of Bellingham’s Clean and Green Yard Waste site at the corner of Woburn and Lakeway. The cost is $4 a load. For more information, visit the Web site at: http://www.cob.org/services/environment/recycling.aspx.
Chemical waste, hazardous substances, paints cans, fluorescent light tubes: Visit Bellingham’s Disposal of Toxins at 3505 Airport Drive. Loads are free of charge. For more information, visit the Web site at: http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/publicworks/solidwaste/construction/toxics.jsp
Large appliances: Visit Appliance Depot on 802 Marine Drive, or visit the Web site at: http://www.appliancedepot.com/
The event is being hosted by neighborhood volunteers and is supported by Sanitary Service Company Inc., who provides the neighborhood with a 30-yard dumpster. The dumpster is placed in the Nelson’s Market parking lot, where the contents are disposed of by Recomp of Washington. All efforts are free of charge.
What you can bring:
Residents are encouraged to bring anything from old mattresses to junk found in alley ways, and of course their work gloves.
What you can’t bring:
Yard Waste: Visit the City of Bellingham’s Clean and Green Yard Waste site at the corner of Woburn and Lakeway. The cost is $4 a load. For more information, visit the Web site at: http://www.cob.org/services/environment/recycling.aspx.
Chemical waste, hazardous substances, paints cans, fluorescent light tubes: Visit Bellingham’s Disposal of Toxins at 3505 Airport Drive. Loads are free of charge. For more information, visit the Web site at: http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/publicworks/solidwaste/construction/toxics.jsp
Large appliances: Visit Appliance Depot on 802 Marine Drive, or visit the Web site at: http://www.appliancedepot.com/
The new historic York neighborhood—what residents can expect to see
The York district is on its way to being a historic neighborhood. After being approved by the Washington State Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in November 2009, the York neighborhood was officially considered historic, along with Bellingham’s Lettered Streets neighborhood and the South Hill neighborhood.
After neighborhoods are considered historic, they can apply for federal grants for neighborhood projects, such as installing signs with historic information, for example.
York residents can expect to see historic street signs throughout the neighborhood, much like Bellingham’s historic Sehome neighborhood. The Sehome neighborhood’s welcome sign reads “Welcome to the Historic Sehome Neighborhood.” The neighborhood also has many individual street signs that say “historic district” above the street name.
York neighborhood historic application: http://www.cob.org/documents/planning/community-development/historic/preserve-america/york/york-final-application.pdf
York neighborhood architectural styles: http://www.cob.org/documents/planning/community-development/historic/preserve-america/york/york-styles-poster.pdf
Sehome neighborhood: http://www.cob.org/services/neighborhoods/profiles/sehome.aspx
York neighborhood newsletter: http://www.yorkneighborhood.org/
Bellingham Heralds coverage: http://infoweb.newsbank.com.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=12BED476F9886C90&p_docnum=1&p_queryname=6
The York district is on its way to being a historic neighborhood. After being approved by the Washington State Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in November 2009, the York neighborhood was officially considered historic, along with Bellingham’s Lettered Streets neighborhood and the South Hill neighborhood.
After neighborhoods are considered historic, they can apply for federal grants for neighborhood projects, such as installing signs with historic information, for example.
York residents can expect to see historic street signs throughout the neighborhood, much like Bellingham’s historic Sehome neighborhood. The Sehome neighborhood’s welcome sign reads “Welcome to the Historic Sehome Neighborhood.” The neighborhood also has many individual street signs that say “historic district” above the street name.
York neighborhood historic application: http://www.cob.org/documents/planning/community-development/historic/preserve-america/york/york-final-application.pdf
York neighborhood architectural styles: http://www.cob.org/documents/planning/community-development/historic/preserve-america/york/york-styles-poster.pdf
Sehome neighborhood: http://www.cob.org/services/neighborhoods/profiles/sehome.aspx
York neighborhood newsletter: http://www.yorkneighborhood.org/
Bellingham Heralds coverage: http://infoweb.newsbank.com.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=12BED476F9886C90&p_docnum=1&p_queryname=6
As she sorts through her two full garbage bags of recycling and trash on May 1, York neighborhood Recycling and Trash Society, also known as R.A.T.S., President Kirsti Charlton finds a metal license plate holder and the plastic shell to a headlight, both without a scratch on them.
“How does someone not notice when these things fall off their car?” said says with a laugh.
Charlton and three other R.A.T.S. members filled a total of 10 bags of trash and recycling with a variety of things, ranging from small car parts to empty beer bottles, which they dispose of at the city garbage cans.
“Think what it would look like if we didn’t [pick up trash],” Charlton said. “I probably wouldn’t have noticed much before [R.A.T.S. was started], and then once you start picking it up, it looked so much better.”
The day began in front of Nelson’s Market at 8:45 a.m., where the group decided what streets they would clean up that day. This changes every time the group meets, depending on which streets they feel need to most trash removed.
On this day, the group walked down streets including Humboldt and Whatcom, where they divided trash from recycle in separate bags as they walked.
Serving as a community builder
Other York residents, including Steve and Susan, joined Charlton in cleaning up the neighborhood. Both Steve and Susan live at the City Gate apartments in the neighborhood, which serves as a halfway house for recovering drug and alcohol abusers.
“I like [picking up trash] because it gets me out of the house,” Steve said.
Susan agreed, saying she likes it so much that even when her bag is full, she can’t stop picking up the trash. “It’s just so hard [to stop] after a while, because you’re in this mindset of picking up everything you see,” she said.
R.A.T.S. typically has about five members attending each week, which include both York residents and non-York residents. Charlton said she has even had entire families join, who bring their elementary school-aged children.
“It’s a good community builder,” Charlton said. “It offers an opportunity for stewardship and it builds respect for our neighbors.”
Charlton also added that another benefit of helping R.A.T.S. is that it isn’t time consuming. Unlike other York association groups, like Transition York, which can take up to several hours to complete, picking up trash with R.A.T.S. only lasts until your garbage bags are full—this usually takes less than an hour.
“It really seems like there is less trash, whether it’s us, or it’s just the neighborhood doing their part,” Charlton said.
How to join R.A.T.S.
A reminder sheet explaining the next meeting is always posted in the front window of Nelson’s Market. Charlton also sends reminder e-mails to York residents before each meeting.
“It’s like the saying,” Charlton said, “you try to leave it better than when you came.”
R.A.T.S meets every first and third Saturday of the month. The next meeting will be held at 8:45 a.m. on May 15 outside of Nelson’s Market. Anyone is welcome to join, rain or shine.
“How does someone not notice when these things fall off their car?” said says with a laugh.
Charlton and three other R.A.T.S. members filled a total of 10 bags of trash and recycling with a variety of things, ranging from small car parts to empty beer bottles, which they dispose of at the city garbage cans.
“Think what it would look like if we didn’t [pick up trash],” Charlton said. “I probably wouldn’t have noticed much before [R.A.T.S. was started], and then once you start picking it up, it looked so much better.”
The day began in front of Nelson’s Market at 8:45 a.m., where the group decided what streets they would clean up that day. This changes every time the group meets, depending on which streets they feel need to most trash removed.
On this day, the group walked down streets including Humboldt and Whatcom, where they divided trash from recycle in separate bags as they walked.
Serving as a community builder
Other York residents, including Steve and Susan, joined Charlton in cleaning up the neighborhood. Both Steve and Susan live at the City Gate apartments in the neighborhood, which serves as a halfway house for recovering drug and alcohol abusers.
“I like [picking up trash] because it gets me out of the house,” Steve said.
Susan agreed, saying she likes it so much that even when her bag is full, she can’t stop picking up the trash. “It’s just so hard [to stop] after a while, because you’re in this mindset of picking up everything you see,” she said.
R.A.T.S. typically has about five members attending each week, which include both York residents and non-York residents. Charlton said she has even had entire families join, who bring their elementary school-aged children.
“It’s a good community builder,” Charlton said. “It offers an opportunity for stewardship and it builds respect for our neighbors.”
Charlton also added that another benefit of helping R.A.T.S. is that it isn’t time consuming. Unlike other York association groups, like Transition York, which can take up to several hours to complete, picking up trash with R.A.T.S. only lasts until your garbage bags are full—this usually takes less than an hour.
“It really seems like there is less trash, whether it’s us, or it’s just the neighborhood doing their part,” Charlton said.
How to join R.A.T.S.
A reminder sheet explaining the next meeting is always posted in the front window of Nelson’s Market. Charlton also sends reminder e-mails to York residents before each meeting.
“It’s like the saying,” Charlton said, “you try to leave it better than when you came.”
R.A.T.S meets every first and third Saturday of the month. The next meeting will be held at 8:45 a.m. on May 15 outside of Nelson’s Market. Anyone is welcome to join, rain or shine.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
DOT Rejects association proposal
Neighborhood Association I-5 sound wall plans rejected, board members dissatisfied
The York Neighborhood Association board members were disappointed after the proposed I-5 sound wall was rejected by the City Council. The association met with the City Council on Thursday April 22, to discuss the construction proposal, which has been in the works for several months.
The proposal requested that construction be delayed unless it includes a safety and sound wall similar to that at the southbound I-5 exit to Lakeway. The association suggested the Department of Transportation install an Ontario Tall Wall, which is a taller, more secure wall than the DOT plans to build, said association Treasurer Lisa Anderson.
The plan also requested other safety measures, including planting full-sized evergreen trees to be added along the new on-ramp lane to reduce impact, noise and to improve air quality.
Instead, the DOT plans to install a Jersey concrete barrier, which is much shorter, and its sole purpose is for safety, not sound insulation.
Many members of the association have been directly affected by the danger of the current on-ramp, including Chris Wolf. Wolf lives on the 1100 block of Humboldt Street, and said a pickup truck rolled down an embankment off of I-5 and into her front yard in February 2008.
What the DOT plans for construction
According to the DOT, “the improved ramps will make it safer and easier to merge into traffic along I-5 through Bellingham.” Specific benefits of the project include congestion relief, safety from collisions and environment benefits, upgrading old fixtures to help minimize erosion. The construction project will cost approximately $14 million.
The construction project is one of many to take place between Exit 252 and Exit 255, all of which include on-ramp improvement and lengthening.
Nowhere on this plan does it state the improvement of noise safety or the safety of innocent bystanders, like Wolf.
What the York association proposed
The proposed Ontario Tall Wall measures to at least 54 inches, which would prevent future noise and cars from going over the on-ramp into neighbors’ yards, while the Jersey concrete barrier only measures to, at most, 36 inches.
The association brought 165 signatures supporting the proposal, which were collected at Nelson’s Market. Although the association collected much support from the community, Mayor Dan Pike flat-out refused to meet with the association to further the goals of the proposal, said Anderson.
Won’t be the last time we see neighborhood association help fix traffic problems
Construction of the new on-ramp will begin early July 2010, with or without the support of the association. However, the voices of the board members have been heard regarding other future traffic construction.
While the association may not have been lucky with this proposal, the request for a new bus stop on the south side of Lakeway was approved. Instead of the two bus stops between Ellis Street and the I-5 on-ramp, these stops will be taken out and one will but placed on the corner of Ellis and Lakeway.
“This will hopefully prevent those crazy college kids from running across the street,” association President Annie Mackie said with a smile.
The York Neighborhood Association board members were disappointed after the proposed I-5 sound wall was rejected by the City Council. The association met with the City Council on Thursday April 22, to discuss the construction proposal, which has been in the works for several months.
The proposal requested that construction be delayed unless it includes a safety and sound wall similar to that at the southbound I-5 exit to Lakeway. The association suggested the Department of Transportation install an Ontario Tall Wall, which is a taller, more secure wall than the DOT plans to build, said association Treasurer Lisa Anderson.
The plan also requested other safety measures, including planting full-sized evergreen trees to be added along the new on-ramp lane to reduce impact, noise and to improve air quality.
Instead, the DOT plans to install a Jersey concrete barrier, which is much shorter, and its sole purpose is for safety, not sound insulation.
Many members of the association have been directly affected by the danger of the current on-ramp, including Chris Wolf. Wolf lives on the 1100 block of Humboldt Street, and said a pickup truck rolled down an embankment off of I-5 and into her front yard in February 2008.
What the DOT plans for construction
According to the DOT, “the improved ramps will make it safer and easier to merge into traffic along I-5 through Bellingham.” Specific benefits of the project include congestion relief, safety from collisions and environment benefits, upgrading old fixtures to help minimize erosion. The construction project will cost approximately $14 million.
The construction project is one of many to take place between Exit 252 and Exit 255, all of which include on-ramp improvement and lengthening.
Nowhere on this plan does it state the improvement of noise safety or the safety of innocent bystanders, like Wolf.
What the York association proposed
The proposed Ontario Tall Wall measures to at least 54 inches, which would prevent future noise and cars from going over the on-ramp into neighbors’ yards, while the Jersey concrete barrier only measures to, at most, 36 inches.
The association brought 165 signatures supporting the proposal, which were collected at Nelson’s Market. Although the association collected much support from the community, Mayor Dan Pike flat-out refused to meet with the association to further the goals of the proposal, said Anderson.
Won’t be the last time we see neighborhood association help fix traffic problems
Construction of the new on-ramp will begin early July 2010, with or without the support of the association. However, the voices of the board members have been heard regarding other future traffic construction.
While the association may not have been lucky with this proposal, the request for a new bus stop on the south side of Lakeway was approved. Instead of the two bus stops between Ellis Street and the I-5 on-ramp, these stops will be taken out and one will but placed on the corner of Ellis and Lakeway.
“This will hopefully prevent those crazy college kids from running across the street,” association President Annie Mackie said with a smile.
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