How much stuff was discarded by Modesto residents as they “trashed” John Thurman Field again?
More than 430 Modesto households turned out Saturday for the city’s second “drive up, drop off” event at John Thurman Field, where they dropped off busted furniture, broken TVs and other bulky household items at no cost.
This is part of the city’s effort to make it easier for residents to do the right thing while reducing blight, which according to the city is one of residents’ top concerns.
City spokesman Andrew Gonzales said 388 vehicles dropped off stuff in the John Thurman Field parking lot and 45 vehicles were turned away. He said the reasons a vehicle could be turned away included that the event had reached its capacity to accept particular items.
But the city issued vouchers to those it turned away, allowing them to drop off their bulky items for free Saturday at Bertolotti Disposal’s transfer station. The garbage hauler worked with the city on Saturday’s event. Gonzales said 42 residents used their vouchers.
Modesto held its first event in June at John Thurman Field and it drew more than 400 vehicles. Gonzales said these events have demonstrated their popularity with residents. The events are only for Modesto households, from residents living in single-family homes to apartment buildings and all other types of housing.
The city did not issue vouchers for its first event and ended up turning away 70 vehicles, even though it kept the event open 2 1/2 hours longer than it planned. That event ended up serving 336 vehicles.
Gonzales provided numbers that tell the story of what Modesto residents discarded Saturday:
▪ 15,094 pounds of electronics, including 225 televisions
▪ 11,715 pounds of mattresses and box springs.
▪ 407 tires
▪ Bertolotti collected 62,482 pounds of bulky items, including 17,640 pounds in appliances at John Thurman Field. The appliances are dismantled to remove the materials that can be recycled.
▪ Households with vouchers dropped off 16,540 pounds of bulky items at the transfer station.
Gonzales said staff at the event notified people dropping items off at the ballpark parking lot about the city’s bulky item pickup program. Single family homes can leave bulky items at the curb twice a year for pickup. The city just started a similar program for people who live in apartments and other multifamily housing.
Modesto’s partners on Saturday included the California Department of Transportation, which covered the event’s cost.
The city has said it will hold two more “drive up, drop off” events. It has set aside $110,000 from its federal pandemic relief funding to pay for them. The events are expected to occur in late April and late June. One will be in northwest Modesto and the other in northeast Modesto.
