The Free Landfill Weekend as part of the City of Estevan's Operation Clean Sweep is often one of the busiest weekends of the year for the dump and one of the more popular events the city puts on. Though many things are different in the time of COVID-19, that at least didn't change last weekend. 

The city reported hundreds of thousands of pounds of refuse dropped in the landfill over the weekend and a constant stream of people coming in to use it. They even reported an increase in the amount of garbage dropped off from the year before. 

"Obviously the citizens of Estevan were busy cleaning their yards this weekend," said roads and drainage manager Norm Mack. "The landfill seemed to be the most popular place in the city."

The weather was perfect for gardening and not too bad for taking things to the dump either, and residents took advantage. Mack said they dropped off 1228 loads at the landfill over the weekend, weighing over 660,000 pounds. 

"It just helps the city beautify itself," he said. "You can really tell we've cleaned it up in the last month or so. With that amount of debris coming out to the landfill, obviously it's tidied up the city and the yards."

The input of over 660,000 pounds of garbage wasn't just a successful weekend for the city. According to Mack, it was also an increase over numbers in recent years, owing likely to people having more time on their hands at home. 

"For example last year we were probably 75 percent of what this year was," said Mack. "With COVID-19, you can see people are doing more yard work, they are at home, and with that they're doing gardening and cleaning up their yards."

Mack said there will be no time for city workers to rest on their laurels after the successful weekend. Numerous construction projects are next on the agenda, and some of them will need to be started right away. 

"It's going to be a busy summer," he said. "Our construction season is short so we do have to get at it ASAP."