When a bargain hunter politely tried to get Linda Deans to reduce her price, Deans just as politely declined, explaining the money from her garage sale was going to help pay for a trip to Disney World by her grandson Riley.
It was raining outside, so Deans and her daughter-in -law Kali Deans, were selling inside her garage.
They were among the nearly 200 households who took part in the inaugural Langley Township-wide garage sale that ran from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., a municipal initiative intended to encourage recycling and reduce dumping.
READ MORE: Township-wide garage sale set for end of May in Langley
Another participant, Katherine McLaughlin, was selling from her driveway, under a just-obtained portable awning to keep her tables dry while she and her dog Shania greeted visitors, both wearing bright yellow waterproof gear.
“They said there was a 75 per cent chance of rain,” McLaughlin said.
“We’re in it.”
By the end of the day, McLaughlin reported turnout was lower than she had expected, and her garage sale only made a fraction of what she was hoping for.
“Not a lot,” she said.
“In past years, we have done well.”
Deans, a garage sale veteran whose family holds regular sales to clean out unwanted possession, said the turnout was about the same as they would see on a warm and sunny day.
“It went extremely well,” McLaughlin told the Langley Advance Times.
“I’m sure hoping they hold another one.”
Township of Langley solid waste coordinator Chris Combe said an interactive map of registered garage sale locations generated substantial interest.
On the Friday and Saturday, there were over 8,000 views of the online map, nearing 17,000 total views during the length of the campaign.
Posted on the Township web site, it allowed users to select and filter by item category types and neighbourhoods to find out what was being sold and where.
By mapping out a route before heading out, shoppers could save both time and limit emissions.
Come said some participants have told him the weather put a damper on the event.
“I’m sure if it was sunny, it would be better attended,” Combe said.
“But that’s outside our control.”
Combe said garage sales have an impact on the environment by extending the life of an item that might have ended up in the landfill.
“Re-use is an often forgotten ‘R’ of the three R’s (reduce, reuse and recycle),” Combe said.
After the event, participants were required to remove and clean up any unsold materials from their property.
Those with municipal collection service could arrange for the disposal of big leftover items by scheduling a large item pick up.
Anyone with suggestions about future versions of the sales can email comments to the Township at opsinfo@tol.ca.
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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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