'Sleek' Trash Cans Replace Rusty Old Bins In Washington Square

WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK, NY — From trashy to "sleek," the Village's iconic park now has new garbage bins to toss your litter.

Fifty-eight new "sleek, state-of-the-art" trash cans have been installed in Washington Square Park in recent weeks, announced State Sen. Brad Hoylman, who secured $100,000 in state cash for the new bins.

The garbage cans will replace rusted out receptacles that are more than a decade old.

The former trash cans often overflowed, leaving piles of trash in the park and drawing in rodents, according to George Vellonakis, the Washington Square Park administrator and Conservancy's executive director.

"A broken trash can isn't just ugly, it causes real problems for the Park," Vellonakis said. "These new cans are stronger, sleeker, and easier for staff to empty and keep clean."

"It seems like a small change, but it makes a big impact on the overall feel of the Park — no one wants to read a book next to a pile of trash."

Some 12 million park-goers bring hundreds of thousands of pounds of trash to the park every year, spurring the funds for 10 more trash cans than in years past. Ten additional brand new bins are on call in case another one breaks.

Hoylman said in an announcement the new cans will ensure the park is a "clean, pleasant respite in our busy urban landscape."

"Washington Square Park is a jewel of our community — a true public space that's open and accessible for all New Yorkers," Hoylman added.

See the photos above for before and after images of the trash cans.