Every autumn, when Ottawa receives its first real snow of the season, residents often think the city is the most beautiful in the world. The glimmering downtown snowscape rivals any urban wonder. However, when that snow melts in the spring, the amount of refuse revealed can be dismaying. Fortunately, a small army of volunteers is making Ottawa gorgeous, one discarded coffee cup at a time, and finding new meaning in building community along the way.
About Cleaning The Capital
Cleaning The Capital is a city-sponsored, volunteer-driven program that runs every spring and autumn. Individuals, neighbourhood groups, or community organizations can register a clean-up project, typically a street or a park, and pick up a cleaning kit at a community centre or client service centre. On the chosen date, participants gather at the designated spot and collect trash. While it sounds straightforward, bagging garbage is just the beginning of what makes this program so rewarding.
Personal Stories of Impact
Stittsville resident Tracy Botting has been an enthusiastic participant for years. It all started with her daughter. Botting shares, "I first got involved during the later years of the pandemic. One spring, my daughter and her friends wanted to help clean up our neighbourhood park, and I thought it was a great excuse to get some fresh air and get her off her iPad." This wasn't a one-time event for Botting and her family. She adds, "My bigger motivation was showing my daughter and her friends what it actually means to look after shared spaces. I wanted them to understand that clean, safe parks require a collective effort. Participating led to great conversations about littering, environmental stewardship, and why something as simple as picking up after yourself actually matters."
Sandy Garland and other members of Green Dreamers reflect that sense of stewardship. They are a group of dedicated volunteers, supported by the Old Ottawa South Community Association, who take care of the garden beds along Bank Street and the rain gardens on Sunnyside Avenue. They have an Adopt-a-Street agreement with the city, but that is not their main motivation. "We are also very proud of our neighbourhood and want to make it beautiful and clean, so we would do this anyway," says Garland. She adds, "The environment committee has noticed that the things we do in public, like street gardening and cleaning up garbage, attract attention. People thank us as they pass by. Many stop to chat. It is a really great way to make connections, meet neighbours, find out what bothers them or pleases them, and sometimes even get new volunteers."
Community Connections
Catherine Kitts, Councillor for Ward 19 (Orléans South-Navan), has also seen how Cleaning The Capital connects friends, old and new. She shares, "These events are highly accessible and low-barrier, making it easy for community members to participate regardless of income, family situation, or mobility. They also create a natural opportunity to spend time with neighbours and connect with people you might not otherwise meet." While spending a few hours cleaning up a park might not seem like much, Kitts emphasizes that it really does make a difference. "While something like Cleaning the Capital may seem small in scale, its impact is meaningful. Keeping our parks and streets clean helps ensure that families have safe, welcoming spaces to gather, socialize, and stay active outdoors."
Volunteers like Botting, Garland, and many others demonstrate that simple acts of street gardening and garbage pickup are powerful ways to build community, enjoy the outdoors, and create a cleaner, more beautiful Ottawa.
