Bring out your trash - Cheney Clean Sweep takes place April 18

Every year hundreds of Cheney residents come together to spruce up the town in what is known as “Cheney Clean Sweep.” This year’s Cheney Clean Sweep takes place Saturday, April 18, Earth Day, from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

The Cheney Clean Sweep offers a sort of “Brooms Day” celebration where residents and volunteers can easily tackle their spring-cleaning chores in a fun and cooperative effort. 

Volunteers will meet at 8:30 a.m. at Veteran’s Memorial Park, 615 Fourth St., and then fan out in groups to perform a deep clean of Cheney’s streets, parks, and public places. 

In addition to the public effort to clean the city, Cheney Clean Sweep provides many services for residents to easily clean their own homes and yards. Two large item dump sites will be set up in town, one at Presley Drive across from the Spokane County Fire District 3 headquarters and one at Amazing Grace Fellowship Church, 416 Betz Road.

Dumpster hours are 9 – 11:30 a.m., and are limited to Cheney utility customers with proof of residency.

Dumpster sites will accept household garbage, construction debris and fencing, metals such as barbecues and bike frames. No furniture or appliances allowed.

Cheney Federal Credit Union will be the site of the annual “Shred-Fest,” providing free shredder services for personal documents from 9 a.m. to noon. There is a limit of three grocery bags of documents per person.

Les Schwab will be the location for residents to dispose of old tires and batteries from 9 a.m. to noon. Tires should not be mounted, but mounted tires will be accepted at a charge of $4 per passenger tire and $10 per truck tire. Disposal is limited to four tires per person.

A new service offered this year is disposal of household hazardous waste such as such as paints, solvents, antifreeze, batteries, oils, transmission fluids and pool chemicals. Hazardous waste items can be dropped off at the Cheney Recycling Center, 100 Anderson Road, from 9 a.m. – noon.

Residents can also drop off clean, sorted recyclables and clean, green yard waste at the center from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

This is the eighth year of Cheney Clean Sweep. As many as 200 volunteers helped out at last year’s event, and organizers expect another good showing. Volunteers who participate in the litter pickup will receive a free reusable tote bag with coupons and gifts from a number of local businesses that are sponsoring the Clean Sweep event, and a free lunch will be served at a celebration at noon at Veteran’s Memorial Park.