MISSOULA — What seemed like a never-ending line of trucks and trailers rolled through Garden City Compost this weekend filled with debris from the recent storm.
In true Missoula fashion, it was not just the residents’ own yards they were cleaning up but others as well, Missoula resident Jason Hurt was there helping his aunt with a big problem.
“Well, my aunt's car, and front of her house, has got a tree falling on it, so we're just cleaning it up, crushed her car, and we cut it up this morning and now we're bringing it here.”
Hurt had to bring multiple loads to the composting center but was happy to do so because his aunt needed the help and he had the right tools for the job.
“It's nice to be able to have this stuff to be able to help, you know,” Hurt said.
“So, I do flooring for a living. So I have a big truck and, and trailers and all this to be able to use to help out. So I'm grateful about that.”
Now that the weekend is here, many residents finally have the time to work on their yards and unload the debris.
However, the director of Missoula Public Works Jeremy Keen wants residents to hold off on unloading their debris if they can.
“What we're asking for is people to just take their time,” Keen said.
“We really want to address, the safety issues first with fallen trees, clearing streets and taking care of power line issues and, the amount of the volume of material that's, that's coming to our compost site and our drop sites is really immense, and so, if folks can just take their time, that'll help us to manage that load.
The full list of debris drop-off spots can be found here:
People should use the Garden City Compost site when possible, as all the debris dropped off at the other sites ends up there. Officials are working on extending the hours there.
- Garden City Compost (1125 Clark Fork Lane, will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday)
- Fort Missoula (36th Street lot)
- Larchmont triangle (access of Post Siding Road)
- Fort Missoula Ponds (access via 40th Avenue, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
- Russell Street (access parking lot between YMCA and Russell Elementary)
- City of Missoula Northside Lot (access off Shakespeare Street)
- University of Montana parking lot at South Avenue and Higgins (enter from Higgins)
The drop-off sites listed above remain available for residents to drop off debris from the storm at no cost. These sites are currently experiencing long wait times. Officials request that residents with low-priority debris i.e., it's not blocking their driveway or causing other access issues wait to drop it off, if possible.
