In an effort to standardize the design of garbage and recycling cans and reduce the number of plastic cans, VPT funded the installation of new, metal cans throughout the park in Spring 2023.
Fundraising
These new trash and recycling cans were funded by community donations to Volunteer Park Trust.
Design
We worked with SPR and Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks to site the new cans and create a wrap design to better compliment the landscape experience. Thanks to Amy Lindemuth, Senior Landscape Architect at SPR, for her careful attention to our feedback and suggestions. We worked with a designer to create a unique wrap for the Volunteer Park cans with deodar and atlas cedar tree photos. Those two species of cedar are prominent in the park and the photos soften the visual presence of the cans in the park.
We initially tried to replace the assorted recycling and trash cans with the older, fluted metal style. In conversations with SPR, however, it became clear that the existing metal cans were not functioning well. They are difficult to maintain and have caused workplace injuries among SPR employees. The new cans can be serviced uniformly without the staff endangering their backs and are less likely to need repairs to the doors as well.
In addition, the new cans will reduce vermin activity. The previously existing metal garbage cans were more easily breached by birds and rodents, and the plastic cans, which tipped over easily, spilled garbage around on the surrounding grass.
The new cans will bring consistency to the park and they will be bolted to concrete pads, further minimizing any disorderly appearance. There will still be a small number of plastic cans placed in the park during the summer months and during special events, but we will be assessing the feasibility of eliminating those or replacing them with a few more metal cans.
Installation
The new trash and recycling cans were installed by SPR staff in Spring of 2023.