Case study: Trash to treasure at the HodgePodge Lodge

Summary

A 2024 Sustainable Communities Awards winner in the waste category, Strathcona County’s HodgePodge Lodge is a circular economy-focused community hub designed to divert waste from landfill by offering opportunities for reuse. Residents can both donate items and take things they need for free. The Lodge also provides opportunities for volunteerism and community partnerships as well as work experience for youth.

Background

Strathcona County is a specialized municipality–incorporating both urban and rural areas–to the east of Edmonton. One of its services is a heavily used recycling station where residents and businesses can bring waste items. In 2021 the County adopted a waste roadmap for the next 10 years that includes diverting more waste from landfill and moving toward a circular economy, which aims to keep materials and products in use as long as possible.  

Recycling station staff recognized a need for a reuse component of their operations, where discarded items that were still usable or useful could be cycled within the community to extend their life. They started with a small “take or leave” shack at the station, but it quickly became so popular that more space was needed. So the County set the goal of creating a separate, permanent reuse facility that would also support social needs in the community.

The approach

The County decided to build a facility to not only divert waste, but also to empower residents to live an environmentally conscious, creative and community-minded lifestyle. One important aspect of the project was incorporating circularity into the entire process–including the building, which was constructed using numerous preloved and salvaged items. Achieving this required creativity in design, construction and procurement.

“The idea is that we collect items that a traditional thrift store would not profit from but that still have life in them. Our list of what we don’t accept is much shorter than what we do accept.” 

– Erin Wildeboer, Supervisor, Waste Diversion Outreach Programs, Strathcona County

Results

Strathcona County’s HodgePodge Lodge has been immensely popular since its opening in February 2023. It collects a wide range of items: everything from small appliances and light fixtures to toys and sports equipment to plant pots and lawn chairs. Donated items are screened and organized by a team of more than 85 volunteers and community members can come and browse them at designated times.

While waste diversion is the Lodge's primary reason for being, its contributions to community-building have been hugely beneficial as well. For example, it works with 12 different community groups including the Strathcona Food Bank and Goodwill to offer volunteering opportunities and to receive or give donations.  

Some specific results include:

Environmental:

• more than 556,973 kg of items diverted from landfill
• reduced need within the community for new items created from new materials

Economic:

• reduced cost of living for residents able to find needed items for free
• reduced landfill expenses for municipality

Social:

• creation of a hub for partnerships with local social enterprises, developing opportunities for community-building and education
• education of more than 850 local students on reuse and circularity through facility tours
• opportunities for volunteers, especially young people and people living with disabilities, to gain valuable work experience and foster a sense of belonging by connecting with community members
• ability to gather donations for community groups

“Working with volunteers restores your faith in humankind. The social give-back of this building is far more than we ever expected, in the best way possible. I wish we had the budget to build it bigger!” 

– Erin Wildeboer, Supervisor, Waste Diversion Outreach Programs, Strathcona County

Lessons learned

While the project’s overwhelming popularity has been gratifying, it has also required making changes to keep programming and services running smoothly. For example, staff have adjusted operating hours to allow volunteers more time for organizing and have refined policies to improve equitable access. They have also tweaked logistics, such as by expanding available parking and improving drop-off and pick-up procedures.  

Good management has been a key factor in the success of HodgePodge Lodge. This includes:  

• hiring a paid staff member to oversee the facility
• knowing how to manage a large group of volunteers
• building in enough capacity for increased future need

New procurement requirements and methods can also affect project timelines. The County wanted to incorporate circularity into the building itself, which created challenges during procurement, as these requirements were difficult to fit into traditional processes. Some iterations led to extended timelines but ultimately resulted in finding a vendor who was aligned with the vision and able to use salvaged and recycled materials during construction.

Next steps

Staff continue to log and track incoming and outgoing items to measure the impact of HodgePodge Lodge on the community and its waste reduction efforts. They are exploring ways to quantify the number of visitors they receive and continue to make adjustments to improve the Lodge experience for users, partners and volunteers. One key plan is to add even more parking to better meet demand.

Quotes

“The number of people that have been able to outfit their first apartment, fix an appliance or bike or use something like a tool or a book then bring it back to the Lodge for someone else to use is endless.”  

– Erin Wildeboer, Supervisor, Waste Diversion Outreach Programs, Strathcona County

“The concept of reuse is never going to go away—it’s not a fad. We will be able to continue helping our community for as long as we can keep the building open.” 

– Erin Wildeboer, Supervisor, Waste Diversion Outreach Programs, Strathcona County