In anticipation of the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, Athens-Clarke County Government (ACCGov) has announced a range of schedule and service changes affecting various departments. These changes, detailed in a recent announcement, outline the closures and alternate hours for services such as animal care, leisure activities, waste collection, and transit.
The ACCGov Animal Services Department will be taking a pause on Monday, May 27, with the Animal Shelter closed and non-emergency animal services officers off the clock from Saturday, May 25 through to the holiday. However, rest assured that emergency services for situations such as animal bites or trapped animals will remain available through 911. "The shelter will resume regular operating hours on Tuesday, May 28," as per the department's statement.
ACCGov Leisure Services informs that parks will maintain regular hours on Memorial Day, though facilities like Sandy Creek Nature Center and community centers will be closed. Swimming enthusiasts can take a dip in the designated pools and splash pads, open with an admission fee of $1. They'll splash back to usual business promptly the following Tuesday.
Taking out the trash won't follow the usual routine, with Solid Waste administration offices shuttered and collection services disrupted on Monday. Monday's garbage will hit the curb on Tuesday, and the rest of the week will follow a domino effect—each day's refuse picked up a day late, culminating in Thursday and Fridays's collections hauling away on the final day of May. Downtown district businesses are asked to make use of conveniently located dumpsters during this period. Regular refuse rhythms resume on Tuesday for all sectors of the service.
If you're relying on ACCGov Transit, be aware that buses will not run on Memorial Day, with service set to get back on track Tuesday, May 28. For route-specific information, when it's back to business as usual, the Transit Department encourages you to check your schedules before making commuting plans. Lastly, other general ACCGov administrative offices, such as City Hall and various government buildings, will close in observance of the holiday, with operations resuming on Tuesday.
