After every winter season our Public Works Department begins the Spring and Summer Street Sweeping Programs. We sweep to clean Town streets of leftover sand on the roads that are used during winter control operations. We also sweep any debris that has accumulated on Town streets over the winter.
Why we street sweep
By removing sand and debris, street sweeping prevents build-up that could block storm sewers and catch basins. It removes pollutants that could end up in bodies of water through urban run-off and improves water quality and the environment. The removal of winter materials reduces the amount of airborne dust, improving the quality of air.
Street sweeping provides a safe, clean driving surface for motorists, and improves the look of the Town's road network.
Where we street sweep
We sweep on all:
- Town roads
- Bridges
- Municipal parking lots
- Hard-topped intersections in rural areas
We sweep in the urban and downtown cores first and move to high traffic areas next. We then move to residential subdivisions and areas.
Spring Sweeping Program
Spring sweeping usually starts in April and is completed by June. Our sweepers are on the streets between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
We perform:
- Flushing (downtown areas, traffic islands and walkways)
- Centre line sweeping to road edge
- Full street sweeping
We make every attempt to sweep the streets as soon as possible after the winter season, but conditions such as rain or ice may impede our operations.
We ask all residents to minimize residential street parking during this period for best results. There may be noise and dust during operations.
Summer Sweeping Program
Summer sweeping continues from July until October 31.
Summer sweeping includes:
- Major arterial and collector roads
- Downtown streets at 6:00 a.m. Friday mornings
- Local, residential streets