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The first steps have been taken in changing how Westside residents dispose of garbage not put out for curbside pickup.

On Friday, the new Westside Residential Waste Disposal and Recycling Centre opened for residents who want to drop off garbage, yard waste, construction wood, drywall, metals, appliances, tires and other materials that used to be accepted at former landfill.

Located at the former landfill site on Asquith Road in West Kelowna, the new centre will operate four days a week.

“The facility will continue to act as a convenient drop off disposal location for residents of West Kelowna, Peachland, Central Okanagan West and the Westbank First Nation,” said regional waste reduction office manager Peter Rotheisler.

“The new Friday through Monday operation for drop off of garbage, yard and construction wood and other excess waste materials corresponds with the four busiest days of the week and corresponds with the feedback we received during information open houses we hosted during the spring.”

The new transfer station will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday for residents who want to drop off materials they can’t place in their curbside garbage and recycling containers.

Recyclables and unwanted items for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Reuse-it program will also be welcomed at the site during the same hours, seven days a week.

All residential materials that were accepted in the past are still being accepted at the centre. The same tipping fees apply based on weight.

A number of improvements have been made to this temporary location over the past few months, added Rotheisler.

The garbage and drywall disposal areas were expanded to accommodate larger collection bins and more drop off lanes.

The areas for yard waste and construction wood waste drop off have been more clearly defined with lock blocks and some of the key access roads have been paved to reduce the impact of dust on adjacent neighbours.

“In the months ahead, we’ll continue to refine and landscape this area,” he said.

Friday also marked the start of the process to close the Westside Landfill.

From now on, garbage, yard waste and construction wood will be taken to the Kelowna’s Glenmore Landfill, now the only active landfill for the Central Okanagan.