The Okotoks Eco Centre is reducing its operating hours because of lower demand.
Effective Jan. 1, the centre will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will be closed Sundays, Mondays and statutory holidays.
Waste services manager Paul Lyons said the new hours approved by town council will make the centre more efficient.
“We looked at the use for the Eco Centre and we also looked at the impact that the curbside program is currently having on the materials being taken to the depot,” said Lyons. “We’ve seen a decline in usage, so this is an efficiency and cost-savings measure.”
The new universal organics and recycling program introduced in October saw 137 tonnes of organics and an extra 50 tonnes of recyclables collected curbside, he said.
While Lyons said it’s premature to analyze the impact of changes to the Town’s waste management program, the Town expects it will decrease garbage hauled to the landfill by anywhere from 25 to 35 per cent in its first year.
In the meantime, he said waste services will continue to monitor Eco Centre usage with its new hours after January.
“We want to monitor to make sure we’re providing the level of service our residents expect,” said Lyons.
