Media Release
Business Districts get a Major Spring Cleaning
(Wednesday, June 6, 2007)-- The Business Districts of Downtown Dartmouth, Downtown Halifax and Sackville Drive are looking much cleaner today thanks to the efforts of over 200 volunteers who participated in HRM Capital District’s 13th Annual Clean Sweep.
Timed to coincide with National Environment Week, Clean Sweep is an event where businesses partner with HRM and take 60 minutes out of their day to give the main downtown streets a thorough cleaning for summer. The clean up event complements the year-round effort and commitment made by HRM and the business community to keep the Municipality litter free.
“HRM is working to make it easier for both businesses and residents to do their part in keeping downtown neighbourhoods clean and beautiful all year-round,” noted Mayor Peter Kelly. “This includes partnering with businesses to find new methods to combat litter, as well as the installation of new waste receptacles which encourage recycling, composting and the proper disposal of cigarette butts.”
The event launch today included:
• Introduction of Portable Ashtrays. To further combat cigarette butt litter, HRM has introduced 600 Portable Ashtrays to the Capital District Business Commissions to distribute to patrons.
• 145 new flower baskets. HRM has partnered with the Business Improvement Districts to purchase and install 145 new flower baskets on street poles along Quinpool Road, Barrington Street and Spring Garden Road. The Business Commissions will maintain the baskets. Installation begins June 14th.
• 150 new trash receptacles. The main focus will be placing the receptacles in the busiest pedestrian traffic areas. One hundred (100) 20-gallon containers will be placed at each end of the blocks in those areas, and an additional 50, three-stream (organics, recyclables and general waste) separation receptacles will be placed in the middle of those blocks. Placement and installation has begun and is expected to take between four and six weeks.
• HRM has hired 8 students for its new cleanup crew. They will assist Downtown Halifax and Dartmouth Business Districts’ summer students. All the student clean up teams hit the streets earlier this year (May) to get a jump on litter, and will finish later in the season (early October). The students clean litter, hand out visitor information, improve landscaping, remove graffiti, and maintain the poster kiosks and pole collars.
• Sweeper Kits. 300 sweeper kits with dust pan and brooms were given to the Business Improvement Districts to support their efforts to keep sidewalks outside storefronts and office buildings litter-free.
• Graffiti Kits. For businesses who chose to tackle graffiti during the clean up event (includes Vandal Mark Remover, mask and gloves). HRM provides an annual grant to Capital District Business Districts to supplement the contracting of graffiti removal services.
“I would like to thank all the volunteers who participated today, making this annual spring cleanup event another great success,” said Mayor Peter Kelly.
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Mayor Peter Kelly
490-4010
Nancy Reeder
Capital District Project Coordinator
490-3941
