WINNIPEG, MB - October 19, 2012 - The City of Winnipeg's fall cleanup of streets will begin Sunday evening, October 21, 2012, weather permitting, and will target areas of Winnipeg where the accumulation of leaves is particularly heavy. With crews working around-the-clock, the street cleanup will involve approximately 60 pieces of equipment, and will take approximately two weeks to complete at an estimated cost of $400,000.
Motorists are advised that temporary "No Parking" signs will be placed in advance in some areas where parked cars pose a problem to the sweeping operation. Vehicles parked at "No Parking" signs, during the times indicated, will be ticketed and towed at the owner's expense.
Motorists and pedestrians are urged to use caution around cleanup crews and heavy equipment which will be operating throughout the city over the coming weeks.
During cleanup operation, crews will transport the leaves they collect to the City's composting site at the Brady Road Landfill.
Property owners are urged not to rake yard waste material (e.g., grass clippings, leaves) or other debris onto the streets as it can plug the street drains. Plugged drains cause water ponding problems on the street, and could also increase the risk of basement flooding by causing water to drain into the wastewater sewer through manhole covers. Residents are cautioned not to place yard waste material into manholes or ditches, as this can also cause flooding problems.
Residents can now put their yard waste at the curb and it will be collected once every two weeks from April to November, on the same day of the week that the garbage and recycling carts are emptied. Yard waste must be placed in reusable containers (e.g., old blue boxes, old garbage containers, compostable paper yard waste bags).
Residents can also take their yard waste to the compost area at the Brady Road Landfill. Yard waste will not be accepted in plastic bags, either at the curb or at the landfill. Tipping fees do not apply to loads of only yard waste (no garbage in the vehicle).
Information about the Fall Leaf Sweeping Program can be found at: winnipeg.ca/publicworks/FallCleaning/default.asp. In addition, the public is encouraged to subscribe online to the free email notification system that advises subscribers when a parking ban goes into effect at: winnipeg.ca/wpgmail/subscribe_all.stm?elist=6#pw.