Cleanup day volunteers haul in over 1,100 kg of trash
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An increase in volunteers translated into more kilograms of garbage collected at the downtown spring cleanup this year.
The annual Spring Downtown Community Cleanup Day hauled in 130 kilograms more than last year from the streets of the city’s core on Thursday, said Amanda Dupuis, community housing and wellness programmer for the City of Brandon. The total garbage picked up weighed 1,110 kilograms.
The growth came alongside a higher number of participants, with 148 people this year compared to about 130 volunteers last year, 88 in 2024 and 68 in 2023.
Jagjeet Singh with Westman Immigrant Services picks up garbage along Ninth Street in Brandon on Thursday during the Downtown Spring Cleanup Day. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)
“I’m very happy with the number that turned out this year,” Dupuis said. “This started, I think, five years ago, and it was just a few people.”
Amber Pink, who was cleaning up as part of the Westman Immigrant Services team, told the Sun the annual event is very noticeable for someone who works in the area.
“All of our offices are downtown, so it’s nice to see the areas where you work cleaned and maintained,” Pink said. “It looks so much nicer once everybody goes through.”
She was one of the team of five from the not-for-profit that came out to participate in the cleanup. She said the team gets involved because they want to contribute to the productive event.
The growth that was witnessed this year says a lot about the progress that is being made in community building downtown, Emmy Sanderson, executive director of Brandon Downtown Biz, told the Sun.
Aaron Frost of Rivers performs at Princess Park for volunteers during the Downtown Spring Cleanup Day. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun).
“What I love about it is that this is my third year coming to this, and each year it’s getting bigger,” she said. “What I think it means is that people are seeing the value in this, and people care about downtown.”
Dupuis said the event is helping to build connections between business, government, social agencies and people of the neighbourhood.
“I find it’s an opportunity to connect around something that we all collectively value,” she said.
The city encourages citizens to get involved in cleaning up their neighbourhoods, even after the event finishes, she added.
“It’s just the consistent behaviour that will really make a difference in the community.”
Efemena Esosuakpo , Amber Pink, Jagjeet Singh and Ola Oluitan with Westman Immigrant Services pick up garbage along Ninth Street on Thursday. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)
The event was held in partnership with the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation, the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network and the Downtown Biz. Chez Angela and Komfort Kitchen provided discounted food and coffee for the event, organizers said.
» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com