The City of Lakewood is now collecting loose leaves and will continue pick-ups until about December 15th, subject to weather.  There will be no leaf collections on November 25th and 26th due to the 2004 Thanksgiving holiday.

Because of the quantity of leaves on Clifton Boulevard and Lake Avenue, these streets will be collected separately, starting at West 117th Street and going west until completed.  After crews have completed Clifton and Lake, they will collect leaves citywide starting from the west end and moving east. Three complete citywide collections are scheduled, again weather permitting.

In order to make the leaf collection process as effective as possible, you should rake your leaves onto tree lawns as close to the curb as possible.  But raking leaves into the street will slow the collection process and could cause basement flooding, according to City officials.

Prior to November, leaves are collected only when they're placed in paper yard/leaf bags and put out with your regular refuse and recycling.  As during other times of the year, leaves and other loose yard waste should be placed in yard bags. Bagged and bundled yard waste should be placed on tree lawns before 6:30 a.m. on your regular garbage day, or after 6:00 p.m., the night before.

For questions about municipal leaf collections, call 529-6810 weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Christmas tree collections...

Christmas trees are picked up from residential tree lawns by City crews, as residents discard them. Ornaments, metal tree stands (Yes, they've been seen on tree lawns still attached!), nails, tinsel and plastic bags must be removed from trees because your Yule logs are eventually chipped and recycled into mulch.

For more information on seasonal pick-ups or recycling, call the Refuse Office at 252-4322 or the Recycling Office at 529-6170.