Paul Thompson
Northeast News

KCMO resources were put to good use on the morning of Saturday, April 28, as roughly a dozen trash trucks were filled during the Historic Northeast’s Semi-Annual Spring Clean-up.

Hundreds of area residents took advantage of the opportunity to drop off trash, bulky items, yard waste and tires at two Northeast drop-off points: Budd Park and The Concourse. Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood Association President Leslie Caplan suggested that The Concourse drew the largest turnout in the event’s history, with City trash trucks rotating in and out through the morning hours. Cars lined up around the block to participate.

Kansas City, Missouri City Manager Troy Schulte acknowledged the popularity of the event in an April 28 Twitter post, suggesting that the City will do what it can to provide resources for similar events moving forward.

“Glad to see it being used,” Schulte replied to a post from the Northeast News. “We will happily provide additional resources to make sure future events are successful.”

In a follow-up email on Saturday evening, Caplan wrote that volunteers had filled seven trash compactors and two claw trucks at The Concourse during the clean-up event, while also collecting 1,327 tires. At Budd Park, volunteers indicated that five trash compactor trucks were filled throughout the morning.

“I’m happy we’re able to provide this opportunity for folks to dispose of their trash; it’s clearly needed,” said Indian Mound President Bryan Stalder, who has volunteered at the Budd Park site for the past eight years.

“I’d like to be able to do this more than twice a year, but it takes a lot of time and resources. We really need more volunteers to make it happen. I hope that people who take advantage of this service will also consider helping us pick up trash in the alleys and on the curbs, because I was driving around the neighbohood Monday morning and I still saw a lot of trash on the streets.”