Spring chipping returning this month in Vernon

Photo: City of Vernon

Vernon’s spring chipping program returns this month.

As residents begin spring cleaning their yards by trimming branches and clearing winter debris, the city is bringing back its chipping program. From March 24 to April 17 the city will offer curbside pick up for pruning materials.

Crews will visit each neighbourhood twice through the program, and operate Monday through Thursday. Each area has a specific date scheduled, exact dates can be found online.

In general crews schedule is as follows:

• Vernon Main: March 24 - 27
• Vernon Main: March 31 - Apr. 3
• Blue Jay & Foothills: April 7
• Okanagan Landing: April 8 - 10
• Blue Jay & Foothills: April 14
• Okanagan Landing: April 15 - 17

The program is funded through the residential organics and yard waste collection charge found on quarterly utility bills. The program aims to ensure yard waste is chipped and managed responsibly.

Residents can place pruning material in the same collection area as their garbage and organics carts, chipping may not occur on the same day as household waste collection.

The city has allocated a maximum of 10 minutes of chipping for each customer each week, and asks residents to be mindful:

• Place pruning material in the same collection area as your garbage and organics carts
• Don’t pile material with your neighbour’s chipping material
• Don’t tie material with wire
• Keep roots and dirt out of the pile
• Pile thorns separately
• Branches or tree trunks must be less than 4” in diameter
• Stack all pruning with butt ends facing street or lane

Missed piles not reported to the City of Vernon within 24 hours after the second week of the program will not be picked up.

Tangled piles or excessive volumes could see material not picked up by crews. The city says if that happens, property owners can hire a private chipper, or haul material to the Greater Vernon Diversion and Disposal Facility, to be disposed of free of charge.

Customers using bin service must make their own arrangements to dispose of pruning.

More information about the chipping program can be found online or by calling city operation at 250-549-6757.