Clean Up, Green Up! Richmond Hill’s annual spring cleanup program returns after 2-year hiatus

Yorkregion.com
April 20, 2022

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Richmond Hill’s “Clean Up, Green Up Weeks” returns this spring to bring the community together to help clean up around the neighbourhoods.

Residents and businesses, community groups and schools are encouraged to join forces to help pick up litter that has accumulated over the winter in parks, trails, on boulevards and in open spaces, starting in April.

The program is scheduled to run from April 22 to May 6, when the city will provide registered groups with gloves, garbage and recycling bags, and arrange for collection of the filled bags.

A total of 158 volunteer groups have registered to participate in this year's cleanup program alongside 9,000 volunteers, and 45 school groups.

In Oak Ridges, community member Katherine Mabley is organizing a cleanup event on April 23, when 350 volunteers are anticipated to attend.

In Ward 4, A Better Richmond Hill (ABRH) is holding its first Clean Up, Green Up event on April 30 at Rumble Pond Park from 2:30 to 4:30 (enter from Highgrove Crescent). Register by emailing abrh.info@gmail.com.

In Ward 5, Mayvern Area Residents Association (MARA) is holding a Clean Up, Green Up event on April 23, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Maplewood Park to clean up that park and the west side of Richvale Greenway (enter from Drumern Crescent). Register by emailing  patpollock67@gmail.com.

As of April 14, volunteers and groups are cleaning up 70 parks and open spaces, and 105 streets and trails across Richmond Hill.

This year's program is scheduled to run from April 22 to May 6 when the city will provide registered groups with gloves, garbage and recycling bags, and arrange for collection of the filled bags.

In 2019, with the help of 10,300 volunteers, Richmond Hill cleaned up more than 180 parks, trails, and streets in the community, according to the city's statistics.