Spring Dumpster Day
UPDATE April 29, 2024
In the early hours of Saturday’s Dumpster Day, it was clear that this year’s dumpster was smaller than normal and was going to be filled quickly. Board Members were working on setting up an additional dumpster day, but events curbed that enthusiasm.
Volunteers on site asked neighbors to carefully stack items in the dumpster through the door. It’s the way to maximize the available space. But several neighbors couldn’t be bothered with directions and began throwing items in over the sides. The dumpster became unfillable quickly.
Board Members let the City know the dumpster was full and ready for pickup. Volunteers remained at the dumpster for a few hours and became the target of verbal abuse by people who had nowhere to add their items. We placed a sign that the dumpster was closed. It read: “STOP. The Dumpster is FULL. Do not add any more items.” Volunteers completed their shifts and left for the day.
What happened next is disappointing. People kept coming to the dumpster, ignored the posted signs and overfilled the container well past the top. People started leaving things on the ground for volunteers or city employees to clean up.
When the truck dispatched by the City arrived, it couldn’t pick up the overfilled dumpster. This service is provided to the the neighborhood free of charge so long as we follow the City’s very reasonable guidelines. We posted those guidelines - not only earlier this year, but also in years past. But neighbors did not follow the guidelines or common sense.
This is unacceptable and disrespectful to the volunteers who provided this programming. It’s disrespectful to the workers charged with picking up the dumpster. It’s disrespectful to the neighbors who live at that location and have to look at piles of refuse. It’s very disappointing that volunteers are often met with hostility and aggressive behavior once the dumpster becomes full.
Because of these things, this Dumpster Day may be our last.
If you are in need of bulk item pickup between now and then, contact 311 and follow the City’s policies.
Vice President Erika Stuller has arranged to have another dumpster day at the corner of Beaver and Westover on Saturday April 27, 2024. The dumpster is typically delivered around 8:00 AM and gets hauled away once full. To maximize space we’ve adopted some important guidelines:
Please no yard waste. It fills the dumpster incredibly quickly.
Please fill the dumpster from back to front. This too maximizes space and allows more residents to participate.
Below you’ll find the City of Fort Wayne’s rules in regards to what can and cannot be put in the bins. Following these rules ensures that we can continue to use this valuable service.
In addition to it being dumpster day, we are asking that residents set aside some time this week to help clean up the neighborhood with an emphasis on the Fairfield Corridor, storm drains and park strips. You’d be surprised how much trash and debris you and your kids can pick up on Fairfield in just 15 minutes!
