May
04
Started in 1989, RiverSweep is a one day litter cleanup that focuses on protecting the Cuyahoga River by removing garbage from the Cuyahoga River Corridor.
Over the course of 34 years, 20 thousand volunteers have helped recycle 24,757 illegally discarded tires and pick up almost 1.5 million pounds of trash. The cleanup effort has helped communities reduce public dumping and encouraged the creation of parks and trails.
Volunteers sign up by choosing a location from our list of clean-up sites throughout Cleveland & Cuyahoga County. Join us Saturday morning and we'll provide a RiverSweep t-shirt, gloves and gear to use while cleaning!
“Year after year, RiverSweep volunteers pour their hearts into their communities. As a result, we’ve been able to convert areas that were once abused dumping grounds to parks and trails. Canal Basin in the Flats, which is currently under construction to become a trailhead, and the Camp Cleveland pocket park in Tremont were both once illegal dump sites and are now parts of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath Trail,” said Mera Cardenas, Executive Director of Canalway. “Cleaning public areas helps people see the potential in them. We’re proud to have played a part in returning greenspaces to the community and are constantly looking to support communities across the National Heritage Area.”
The impact of RiverSweep on the community is undeniable. Within the Cuyahoga River watershed, new parks, and trails have emerged in areas formerly targeted for illegal dumping. As a result, more than 400 acres of new greenspace have been cleaned, conserved, and open to the public along with an additional 14 miles of trails.
New or expanded parks, trails, and greenways have been created from RiverSweep sites, including:
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