Council deliberates over proposed curbside giveaway as pandemic impacts timeline

Brighton council is planning a Curbside Giveaway sometime later this year, depending on the pandemic.

By Felicia Massey

Brighton council hopes to get residents to put out unused items at the end of their driveway rather than in a trash can.

Homeowners are invited to participate in a Curbside Giveaway Day. But until the lockdown ends and health authorities approve it, there is no date for the event as yet.

The Giveaway Day is done in place of yard sales in the community. Residents are asked to put out usable household items at the curbside for free. People can drive around town and pick up any items they can use. If anything is left over by the end of the day, it is taken back by the owners.

At the May 3 council meeting, councillors discussed having this event in the fall of 2021, once lockdown restrictions have hopefully been lifted or changed to allow for such an event to take place.

Curbside Giveaway Days are part of efforts to reduce waste going to landfill. It allows households to get rid of unwanted items that might otherwise go to the dump. 

Council’s motion by Councillor Ron Anderson stated: “Giveaway Day is meant to normalize the reuse and donation of unwanted but usable items” and promotes a sharing economy. 

Items not picked up by the end of the day are to be brought back inside. 

During the debate, Deputy Mayor Laura Vink gave her support.

“I just think it’s a good idea to offer other opportunities for people to give away used items,”  she said.

Anderson hopes the giveaway day will start an annual event in the community.

More to come