By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

Chuck Whitcher, stands near one of his gardens at the Candia Transfer Station (The Hooksett Banner/Nicholas Brown)

When Chuck Whitcher came to work at Candia’s recycling center nearly two years ago, he brought with him an interesting theory.

“If it looks like a dump, people are going to treat it like a dump,” he said. “We’re not a dump.”

Whitcher has since been promoted to the position of facility officer, and now maintains gardens throughout the grounds, off New Boston Road.

“The gardens are just a way to take pride in what we have here,” he said. “We don’t have to have garbage floating around everywhere.”

Whitcher, a member of Candia’s recently formed garden club, has been interested in gardening for nine years, and said the gardens at the recycling center all stem from his passion for recycling and reusing materials that would otherwise turn to expensive waste.

Eighteen toilets throughout the recycling center’s grounds were filled with compost, and are now in full bloom.

Garden art abounds in Whitcher’s gardens, and all of it comes from materials Candia residents trashed.

“I believe strongly in the reuse and recycle part,” he said. “I hope people can see that they can still do things with what they might throw away.”

Whitcher said he’s filled with pride when he fields compliments about the recycling facility’s new looks, and said he’s seen people bring friends or family to tour the grounds.

“I see the bad,” said Whitcher. “I look at this place and think about how I can make it look good.”