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The newly remodeled Scaly Mountain convenience center is now open for public use.
It may not be the most glamorous aspect of daily life, but everyone needs a place to toss their trash.
For the residents of Scaly Mountain and the surrounding area, the Macon County Convenience Center has recently undergone a serious makeover. The newly redesigned and remodeled center reopened on Oct. 12.
“What we have done at the Scaly Mountain convenience center is a model for what several other centers are going to look like in the future,” Macon County Solid Waste Department director Chris Stahl said. “The goal is to get rid of the dark trailers, the drive-up ramps, and the old recycling bins and make the sites both safer and more user friendly.”
The new Scaly Mountain center, located on Hale Ridge Road, features a centrally positioned trash compactor, which can hold more refuse than a traditional dumpster. There is a recycling bin, sorted by glass, cardboard and plastic, adjacent to the compactor and a second bin may be added later if necessary.
The biggest change in the site, which is now level and re-graveled, is the attendant shed. What was a very small closet-style structure is now a more spacious prefabricated metal building that includes a major, but often overlooked, amenity.
“The new building for the attendant has a restroom in it, so we were able to get rid of the portable toilet on site,” Stahl said. “It’s a much, much nicer building with climate control and big windows so the person working can see out.”
Stahl noted that a similar redesign is underway at Junaluska convenience center near Nantahala and should be completed in the next few days. The center in the Carson Community, just west of Franklin, will be the next site to be upgraded.
“Carson is our second most-used center, so that one is going to take some additional logistics to complete, but we are hoping to start on it soon,” Stahl said. “Scaly and Junaluska were at the top of the list and they have both turned out great.”
The Scaly Mountain convenience center is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.