The City of New Westminster recently announced that the recycling depot at East Sixth Avenue and McBride Boulevard would be closing because of construction of a replacement for the Canada Games Pool and Centennial Community Centre on the site. Instead, residents will have to take recyclables to the new Coquitlam transfer station that’s being built at 995 United Blvd.
Since news of the closure of the recycling facility in New Westminster broke in May, many local residents have voiced concerns about the plan and asked council to reconsider the plan.
“I just don’t think that we can live without that facility,” Queen’s Park resident Brad Clarke told council Monday night. “Every neighbour I speak to, every family member I speak to in New Westminster are opposed to it being shut down.”
Clarke believes the decision doesn’t jive with the city’s support on green initiatives, such as planting more trees.
“Shutting down the recycle centre will increase the citizens of New West’s carbon imprint. There is no question about that. The drive to the Coquitlam transfer station is just miserable. There is fuel involved. There is emissions. There is traffic jams to get over there. There is dust and dirt so when we come back we have to wash our cars so we are wasting water because of this decision as well,” he said. “Many citizens will stop recycling and just add to their garbage.”