McALLEN — The city held a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday for the unveiling of its new community tool shed, which allows McAllen residents to borrow various lawn and garden care equipment in order to beautify their yards.
Talks of the program began in April and were presented to the city commission in May, which the commission approved unanimously, according to Director of McAllen’s Health & Code Enforcement Steven Kotsatos.
The ribbon cutting event was held outside the McAllen Development Center where the tool shed itself and various lawn equipment were on display.
“We’re extremely excited today to offer this community tool sharing program to our residents of McAllen,” Kotsatos said. “We believe this program will promote community engagement, empower residents and nonprofits to maintain their properties and neighborhoods, serve as a resource for residents who are out of compliance with city codes to address matters timely and help residents to do it themselves that just don’t have the tools to do so.”
The tool shed itself is a trailer with a city of McAllen wrap that was donated by McAllen Fire Chief Jim Schultz. The interior shelving was designed and created by a skilled woodcrafting team.
The Home Depot on Trenton Road donated a complete set of tools, with the shed holding two sets of tools.
The tools range from lawnmowers, weedeaters, pruners, rakes, shovels, hammers, power washers and other items.
To punctuate the end of the ceremony, after cutting the ribbon, Kotsatos asked City Commissioner Seby Haddad to start up one of the new lawnmowers from the tool shed.
“I think McAllen is always focused not only on providing the best services, but also having some of the best outreach and available resources to the members of our community who need it the most,“ Haddad said at Tuesday’s ceremony. “I think this is going to be a phenomenal resource for our residents and something that will be heavily utilized to continue keeping our city beautiful.”
In order for residents to take part in the program, one must be at least 18 years old, provide proof of residency with either a driver’s license, photo ID or utility bill and sign a waiver of liability form.
Tools can be picked up and returned Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., though borrowers must call ahead of time to make arrangements.
Tools are also expected to be returned clean and in the same condition as when they were borrowed. Failure to do so will result in the borrower being disallowed to borrow tools and equipment in the future.
For more information, call the city at (956) 681-1900 or email [email protected]
