Jessie Yates was angry. Speaking to the Prince Edward County supervisors on Tuesday, Aug. 8, he wanted them to know the current setup for the Rice Convenience Center doesn’t work.

“The county dump down there, a lot of money has been spent for accidents to happen,” Yates, a Rice resident, said. “If you’re gonna design another one, please bring somebody else in to design it. That one is pitifully done. Somebody is gonna end up hurt going up and down the steps.”

Back in March, Prince Edward County announced that the Rice Convenience Center would close temporarily for a remodel. During that time folks had to go elsewhere to dispose of their trash and recycling. The plan was for it to finish around the middle of the summer and on Friday, Aug. 4, the center reopened.

But there is one issue. Currently, for folks to throw away their garbage they have to use the open-top 40-yard bins. This means that they have to lift their trash up and over their heads to throw it away or climb up a few stairs to a platform for an easier reach. That’s annoyed several residents, who want to know when things can just get back to normal. And the answer to that is in just a few more weeks.

OPEN, BUT NOT FINISHED

Even though it is open, work on the site is not completely finished. According to County Administrator Doug Stanley, hopefully, the Rice residents will not be seeing those stairs for too much longer. One thing that still needs to be done at the site is to pour the concrete where the compactors are supposed to go. Once the compactors are in, these will give residents a much easier way to throw their trash as the opening will be around chest level instead of over their heads.

“It will be just like the one we had before and much easier to access,” said Stanley.

Next week, weather permitting, they plan to pour the concrete for the compactor pad. Then it will take around seven days for the concrete to cure. After that, the county already has the compactor and can bring it right into the site as soon as the concrete pad is ready. Then, Rice residents won’t need to worry about the stairs and platform when they come.

According to Stanley, anyone currently having trouble is encouraged to ask for help from the attendant or use one of the low boxes.

SOME MORE CHANGES

Other new aspects of the site are the expanded footprint that is double the previous size, room for a second compactor down the road, only one entrance that is wider and safer on Aspen Hill Road, stormwater management, a leachate collection system to keep the liquids from the compactor out of the groundwater, expanded recycling container space, paving instead of gravel, modern LED lighting, fencing, signage and site landscaping. Once officially finished, the County will look to the other convenience site in the county to give an upgrade.

“We’re excited and our next goal is in the next few years to look at approaching other sites,” said Stanley. “They’re all a little different but the end goal is to better serve our citizens.”