CENTRE WELLINGTON – Elora’s upcoming washroom construction project may feature Molok containers to help address garbage and recycling pileups in the downtown.
In May, Centre Wellington Council approved signing an agreement with Kat Florence Canada Company Limited, for the design and construction of four additional public washrooms, adjacent to the Elora Fergus Tourism Centre on East Mill Street.
In an update on the project going before council on Monday, staff are suggesting that Molok containers be added to the location to help address the garbage piled during peak season in Elora.
photo from report
According to the report, there is a challenge in both downtown Elora and Fergus with garbage and recycling:
- Volume of garbage and recycling requiring weekly pick up which is an added expense annually for both BIAs.
- Lack of storage space for commercial and residential garbage and recycling resulting in residents filling public receptables and businesses. sometimes using spaces that are not compliant with Township bylaws.
- Garbage and recycling that is piled at pick-up locations
- Garbage left out Sunday evening in Elora for Tuesday morning pick up because some businesses are closed on Mondays. Some Fergus businesses are also putting the garbage out early for Wednesday pick-up.
- Unsightly garbage waste bins located in the downtowns without screens, and attracting rodents and insects.
- Garbage spread in area by animals.
“Moloks are a deep collection system that are visually attractive and are cleaner and safer than above ground waste bins. In summary, they collect the garbage, recycling, and organics in an attractive above-ground cylindrical shaft, and the larger portion of the system is hidden underground, providing opportunities and benefits for the garbage, recycling, organics, and grease storage and removal,” the report said.
Staff are proposing a pilot project at the 10 East Mill Street location, funded by the donor, to test the Moloks, and if successful, it may expand to both Fergus and Elora’s downtown areas.
The report does note some challenges with Moloks in the downtown.
“The challenge in installing Moloks in the downtown is that the location of underground services disrupts the opportunities to install the Moloks. The construction project to install washrooms at the Tourism Centre in Elora is an opportunity where no underground services will impact installation,” the report noted.
However, staff say “This is a first step toward a garbage solution in the downtowns of Centre Wellington.”
As for the the washroom project, staff say the design stage has taken longer than anticipated, and as a result the new construction timeline for the project will have the washrooms open in the Spring of 2025.
Council will consider the report at Monday’s 2pm council meeting.
You can find the full report here.
