TREE Program

Waterwise

Community Environmental Grants Program

Adopt-a-Park, Roadway or Gateway

Adopt-a-Park or Roadway or Gateway is a city-wide program that encourages community involvement in the care and maintenance of our parks and roadways. It is a partnership between volunteers and the City. The program is open to community groups and individuals of all ages who want to take an active role in enhancing the quality of life in our community.

Volunteers take on parks or roadways clean up projects to improve safety, the environment and to keep the City clean, green litter and graffiti free. Also, by removing the debris and litter from the City streets it ultimately protects the water quality of our rivers and fish habitats.

The volunteers’ involvement in clean up projects needs to be a minimum of twice a year - once in the spring and once in the fall. The City asks individuals and groups to make a long-term commitment of a minimum of two years to provide continuity to the program. To acknowledge these important efforts, each park, roadway or gateway is furnished with a sign presenting the names of the adopting individual or group. The sign is displayed for the adopting period.

The Adopt a Park or Roadway or Gateway program is in its 13th year with 120 parks and 60 roadways adopted in the City of Ottawa. Residents, schools, community groups, and businesses participated in hundreds of clean up projects since the program’s inauguration day.

Learn more about the program and join in:

• Other Activities
• The City's Role
• Safety Measures
• Become a Volunteer

Other activities

Four clean up projects over two years is the minimum commitment but you don't have to stop there! Your group can engage in a whole range of activities depending on the amount of work and time you wish to devote to your park or roadway. Other activities could include:

• Tree Planting
  A great way to beautify your park!
• Park Furniture
  Re-stain park furniture such as benches, picnic tables and litter baskets.
• Park Inspections
  Inspect your park for vandalism such as graffiti and damaged furniture, park equipment and buildings. Call 3-1-1 to report any park deficiencies!
• Donations
  Donate furniture such as picnic tables and benches for your park.
• Graffiti removal

Participate in graffiti removal projects in your neighbourhood for a clean, safe and graffiti-free city.

• Cleaning the Capital
• Litterbug

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The City's Role

The City of Ottawa works with its volunteers to:

• Help you choose a park or stretch of roadway or gateway to adopt
• Coordinate other projects your group may wish to undertake

And:

• Provides you with free supplies such as garbage bags, gloves, yard waste bags, and graffiti removal supplies for each clean up
• Lends you tools
• Picks up collected litter if required
• Responds to any reported deficiencies

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Safety Measures

Your safety as a volunteer is our main concern. As the work is located in parks and along the edge of roadways, there are some minor hazards involved, but following a few important steps will help ensure your safety.

Safety Do's

• Do work only in daylight and fair weather.
• Do car pool if possible and park a safe distance from the pavement edge when working on a roadway.
• Do walk facing traffic for increased visibility.
• Do be sun safe.
• Do leave tied garbage bags well off the roadside, visible to road crews.
• Do cross the road only at pedestrian crosswalks.

Safety Don'ts

• Don't pick up litter or debris from the roadway surface, median, or close to the edge of the roadway.
• Don't pick up anything you believe may be hazardous. Flag the area and call the City at 3-1-1 for pick-up.
• Don't bring along small children or pets when working on a roadway.
• Don't work during peak rush hours on a roadway.
• Don't distract drivers.

Before you start working, the group leader should examine the site to determine if conditions are appropriate for the ages and abilities of the participants.

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Become a Volunteer

To become a volunteer or for more information on the Adopt-a-Park, Roadway or Gateway Program please contact:

Megan Soper,
Community Pride Program
100 Constellation Cr, 5th floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K2G 6J8
Tel.: 613-580-2424 ext. 12582
Fax: 613-580-9605
E-mail: CommunityPride@ottawa.ca

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