Now that the hustle and bustle of Christmas is over, it’s time to undecorate and ship the tree off for chipping.
Luckily, there are plenty of places in the Tri-Cities offering to return your live tree to Mother Earth.
COQUITLAM
• Jan. 5: The Kinsmen Club of Coquitlam is at Miller Park community school (800 Egmont Ave.) from 9 a.m . to 3 p.m. while the Scouts francophone de Maillardville are in the parking lot of Canadian Tire (1200 Seguin Dr.) during the same times.
• Jan. 6: Friends of Mundy Park Heritage Society are in the Mundy Park parking lot on Hillcrest Street from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the Kinsmen Club heads to the northside of the city for a chip in Parking Lot A in Coquitlam Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way).
PORT COQUITLAM
• Jan. 5 and 6: Haul your tree to Port Coquitlam firehall #1 (1725 Broadway St.) where firefighters will chip live trees from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a minimum $5 donation, which will be donated to the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund. If you want the volunteers to pick it up for you at home — for a $10 minimum donation — call 604-927-5405. The wood chips will be spread on city parks and trails. Meanwhile, Styrofoam and old Christmas lights can also be brought to the event for recycling (with a donation to the Burn Fund) and plastic bags, batteries, light bulbs, wrapping paper and packaging can be dropped off with the city solid waste ambassadors, too.
PORT MOODY
• Jan. 5 and 6: Take your tree to the Inlet Centre fire hall (150 Newport Dr.) and have your vehicle vacuumed out by the volunteers. Local 2399 hosts its annual chip — with a minimum $5 donation for the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund — from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Coffee and hot cocoa will be available and firefighters will give a demonstration to show how quickly a Christmas tree can light up. For home pick-up, email [email protected]. Meanwhile, to dispose of surplus paper gift wrapping and boxes, Styrofoam and plastic film and overwrap, take the materials to Heritage Mountain community centre (200 Panorama Pl.), Westhill Park (203 Westhill Pl.) or the Kyle Centre (125 Kyle St.) on Jan. 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. where the city will recycle them for no extra cost.
