The Mishawaka Street Department will begin the city’s annual fall leaf pick-up program on Monday, Oct. 24. This means that Mishawaka residents may begin raking their leaves to the curbside starting the weekend of Oct. 22 and Oct. 23.

Leaves will be picked up each week the day before each resident’s regular trash pick-up day. For example, if a resident’s trash pick-up day is on Wednesday, the Mishawaka Street Department will pick up leaves from that residence on Tuesday. Those with a Monday trash pick-up day will have their leaves picked up on Friday.

Leaves should be raked to the edge of the curb and should be free of branches, twigs, stones or similar foreign objects which can damage equipment and delay leaf pick-up. Residents are encouraged not to rake leaves into the street immediately after a vacuum unit has passed through an area because the vacuum will not return until the next scheduled pick-up date. Meanwhile, leaves on the curb may clog sewer inlets or blow back into yards or streets.

Leaves may always be bagged and put out with your weekly trash pick-up, and beginning Monday, Oct. 24, the City has requested the bag limit with Republic Services to be waived through Friday, Dec. 16. Brush may continue to be taken to the Mishawaka Recycling Center, 1105 East Fifth Street, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday if you are a City of Mishawaka resident. Please note that the Mishawaka Recycling Center’s LAST day of operation will be Saturday, Dec. 3.

Any questions about the program can be answered by calling Street Commissioner Tim Ryan at the Mishawaka Street Department, 574-258-1660.