Holiday Closings: In observance of New Year’s Day, there will be no residential trash, curbside recycling or brush collection on Dec. 31. City offices also will be closed on that day. In addition, the Hunter Ferrell Landfill will be closed Jan. 1. The drop-off recycling centers will close at 4 p.m. Dec. 31 and remain closed Jan. 1. Libraries will not be open Dec. 31 or Jan. 1. Recreation centers will close at 5 p.m. Dec. 31 and will not be open Jan. 1. Heritage Aquatic Center will be closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. North Lake Aquatic Center is closed through Jan. 2. Irving Arts Center administration offices and box office will be closed Dec. 31.
Christmas Tree Roundup: Through Jan. 7, trees will be collected as a regular part of Irving’s weekly brush/bulky waste pick-up. Weekly brush/bulky waste collection is offered the same day as curbside recycling. To find out more about curbside recycling and weekly brush/bulky waste collection, call (972) 721-8059. Christmas trees also are being accepted at the following locations through Jan. 9:
- Cottonwood Park, 4051 N. Story Road
- Southwest Park, 2800 Shady Grove Road
- Drop-Off Recycling Center, 8555 Home Depot Drive (east corner of The Home Depot parking lot)
- Irving Landfill, 220 W. Hunter Ferrell Road (7 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. daily, except New Year’s Day.)
Whether trees are recycled at curbside or at drop-off locations, residents must remove all obstructions such as tree stands, lights, tinsel, nails and ornaments. All plastic bags covering the tree also must be removed. All trees collected as part of this program will be mulched and made available for a nominal fee at the Hunter Ferrell Landfill. Call (972) 721-7322 for details.
CERT Training: The Office of Emergency Management is hosting a free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 8-9. Training will take place at the Fire and Police Training Academy, 2603 Esters Road. CERT members will learn how to be self-sufficient for up to 72 hours following a major emergency or disaster. CERT members are volunteers who others in the community will rely on to meet their immediate life-saving and life-sustaining needs. Space is limited. To sign up for this volunteer training opportunity, contact Emergency Management Planner Billy Owens at (972) 721-2183 or bowens@cityofirving.org by Dec. 31. View flier for more information.
City Council meeting schedule: The City Council has scheduled its meetings for 2011. All meetings begin at 7 p.m. The following are the City Council meeting dates:
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· Jan. 13 · Feb. 3 and 17 · March 3 and 24 · April 7 and 21 · May 5 and 19 · June 9 and 23 |
· July 7 and 21 · Aug. 4 · Sept. 1 and 22 · Oct. 6 and 27 · Nov. 17 · Dec. 8 |
Residents can attend the meetings at City Hall, 825 W. Irving Blvd., or view them live on Irving Community Television Network (ICTN Channel 95 – Time Warner or ICTN Channel 31 – Verizon). Webcasts are at www.cityofirving.org or www.ictn.tv. In addition, website visitors can view recorded meetings 24/7 via video on demand. Viewers can select a specific agenda item of interest without having to watch or fast-forward through the entire video. Meeting times are subject to change. Call the City Secretary’s Office at (972) 721-2493 to confirm a meeting date or visit www.cityofirving.org.
King Celebration: The City of Irving’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. observance will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 17 in Carpenter Hall at the Irving Arts Center, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd. The theme for this year’s celebration is A Message of Hope. The free event will feature a tribute to youth and a performance by the Dallas Black Dance Theatre. Admission is free. For more information, call (972) 721-2501.
Public Input Meetings: Residents will have the opportunity to provide input to city staff and project architects on the new South Irving Library at community input meetings scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 17 and 20 at the Central Library, 801 W. Irving Blvd. The new library will replace the existing Central Library location, which is slated to open late 2012. For more information, call (972) 721-2606.
Libraries Closed: Library patrons are advised that all Irving Public Library locations will be closed Jan. 27 for a staff in-service day.
State of the City: The 2011 State of the City dinner is set for Jan. 27 at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd. For ticket information, visit http://www.irvingchamber.com/or call (214) 217-8473.
Green Gardening Class:Residents are encouraged to sign up for the Soils of Irving class, which will be offered from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 15 at the Valley Ranch Library, 401 Cimarron Trail. Students will learn how to determine soil type, how to garden in a variety of soil conditions and how to improve poor soil. To register, call (972) 742-2296, or visit www.cityofirving.org/begreen, select “Educational Opportunities” and select “Soils of Irving.”
Master Composter Course: The annual two-day Spring Master Composter training course will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 19 and 26 at Senter East Building, 228 Chamberlain St. To register, call (972) 742-2296, or visit www.cityofirving.org/begreen, select “Educational Opportunities” and select “Master Composter Training.” A refundable deposit of $20 is required for registration. Registrants must attend both days to receive their deposit.
Teen Court Volunteers: The next Teen Court training session will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Criminal Justice Center, 305 N. O’Connor Road. Teens, ages 14-17, who want to participate in the program as prosecutors, defense attorneys, jurors, clerks or bailiffs are invited to complete an applicationand attend the training session. Applications are due Jan. 21. For more information, call (972) 721-3601. Download an application online.
