Weekly newsletter: May 21, 2024
Welcome back from a beautiful long weekend! I hope you had the chance to enjoy at least a small slice of it.
Regular readers may remember I solicited advice on kayak storage in a single garage a few weeks ago. I received a good number of suggestions, all centred around a pulley system, so I installed a pulley system. Thank you to the residents who shared their solutions!
Also, a happy belated 50th birthday to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO)!
Waste collection vehicles
Last year’s issue of leaking waste collection vehicles was resolved, but it’s recently reappeared.
Last August, residents of several neighbourhood noted waste collection trucks were spilling material (mostly green bin) on their streets.
Staff and Miller Waste, our area’s collections contractor, were made aware of a few defective vehicles and created an action plan to combat the problem. That action plan included a more intensive maintenance cycle and renting additional vehicles to permit that as short-term measures.
The action plan successfully addressed the situation last year, but based on resident feedback, it seems the issue has resurfaced in the last month or so.
Waste collection vehicles are tied to the waste collection contract. Contract length, in turn, is usually centred around the life expectancy of new vehicles. The current contract with Miller Waste began in 2015 and is due to end in mid-2025, meaning the vehicles are close to the end of their useful lives and are more susceptible to physical and mechanical defects.
The bottom of a vehicle’s loading area includes a sewage tank to store liquids squeezed out by the compactor after waste is deposited. It is those tanks, which have experienced stress and fatigue from nine years of usage, that are leaking.
However, a aging fleet is expected since it’s tied to the passage of time. There could have been preparations to account for increased maintenance demands as the vehicles got older, including provisions negotiated into the contract to allow for additional maintenance resources and/or a responsibility on the contractor’s part to prepare.
I am aware Miller is not immune to challenges faced by the transportation industry in finding and retaining people to repair their vehicles. The challenges are also affecting buses (school buses, OC Transpo, coaches) and trucking as well.
Regardless, there remains an expectation our streets should be kept clean. Although I understand the priority is getting the vehicles out to collect garbage, recycling, and compost, having to constantly send crews later to clean spills is not sustainable.
Staff are aware the issue has resurfaced and, just like last year, will work with the contractor to address it appropriately.
In the meantime, please let me know if there is material spillage on your street on collection day. The information is helpful in identifying defective vehicles and how often it’s occurring.
Visit a local business
As the weather warms up, I hope you’ll visit one of the many local businesses right here at home in Barrhaven.
The energy and dedication of Barrhaven’s local businesses play a vital role in the success of our community. Additionally, the Business Improvement Area (BIA) ensures they are well represented so they have the voice and support to continue being a part of our lives.
We are fortunate to have a unique business community in Barrhaven, which I often say is a combination of the BIA’s work, plus our distance from the rest of the city.
From the largest box stores to the smallest cafes and corner stores, they are our first jobs, our children’s sports league sponsors, where we go to see friends, and — in my case — where I meet residents in the ward (because I don’t have a ward office).
The low commercial vacancy rate in Barrhaven is testament to the strength of our local business community, which will continue to grow this year with new spaces coming soon near Longfields Station.
By 2030, more than 15,000 new residents will call Barrhaven home, meaning the importance of our local businesses will only grow.
Although there are many businesses outside Barrhaven that are equally worth visiting, I encourage supporting the neighbours and friends in our own community, whether it’s a traditional storefront or home-based/online-only businesses.
For more information about the Barrhaven BIA, including a directory of local businesses, please visit their website at BarrhavenBIA.ca.
-Wilson