Regina Downtown Clean Team sweeping to provide welcoming environment

The Regina Downtown Clean Team continues to work on providing a clean and welcoming environment for all to enjoy by removing graffiti and picking up garbage, one trash picker at a time.

“We continue to focus on litter, debris,” said Nelson Mitchell, the manager of operations for the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District (RDBID). “On average, we do about 500 pounds a month of garbage.”

The Downtown Clean team is comprised of a three-man cleaning crew who work Monday to Friday walking around downtown. Last month, their statistics showed that 325 pails of garbage were picked which is equivalent to 845 pounds of litter. The clean team walked 510 kilometers, they have removed 45 tags of graffiti and have safely disposed 15 needles.

“They’re here to make the downtown clean,” said Mitchell. “Make it a welcoming environment for visitors, workers, people to set up shop for people to come live … the ultimate goal is to have the cleanest downtown in Canada maybe even North America.”

A Saskatoon resident comes to visit Regina regularly and has noticed how clean the downtown area looks.

“The seating areas are nice and clean. I can come have coffee every morning,” said Melissa Muskego. “I like that there’s not any garbage around … I’ve noticed there’s never been, any trash for the past three years when I come to visit.”

Regina resident Abel Corbell said the cleanliness of the downtown area is fairly decent but thinks more can be done.

“I think the city and community can do a little bit better job on doing clean up in some areas,” said Corbell. “But as for the main downtown area, I think it’s fairly clean.”