By Amy Ramsay

45th annual spring highway cleanup

Volunteers heading out to spruce up Alberta highways

Apr 30, 2021 | 12:25 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Members of churches, Girl Guides, Scouts and many more are hitting highways throughout the province tomorrow to kick off the 45th annual spring highway cleanup.

This isn’t a regular type of cleanup. The groups who volunteer to help declutter the highways are able to receive funds from Alberta Transportation.

According to Alberta Transportation, groups receive $100 for every kilometre of highway cleaned.

Last year’s cleanup was a major success with volunteers filling 32,000 bags of garbage throughout the province and raising around $925,000.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Adopt-A-Rink program still seeking volunteers

16h ago

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner

Dec 06, 2024

IN THE COMMUNITY

CHAT News producer makes 'emotional' return to Medicine Hat's old arena

Dec 06, 2024

Alberta Transportation spokesperson Wayne Wood said this cleaning initiative is a win-win for everybody because our roads get cleaned and it helps protect wildlife.

“In the spring you know when the snow starts to melt that’s when we start to see what’s happened over the winter months. Usually, there’s a lot of debris, a lot of cans bottles and food wrappers, things like that in our ditches,” said Wood. “These folks are doing a really great public service and we’re helping them out too with their fundraising efforts.”

This initiative takes place May 1 each year and it has been going strong ever since its inception in 1971.

There are 23 different groups taking part in the clean-up tomorrow.

Wood asks drivers to slow down and drive with caution if you come across one of the groups.