News Release City Cancels Clean Sweep Scheduled for May 9 Mini Community Clean-Ups Will Occur Once COVID Crisis Ends

City of Rochester

News Release

(Thursday, April 9, 2020) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren today announced that the City of Rochester has canceled this year’s Clean Sweep, which was scheduled to take place on May 9, 2020.

“As we continue to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it remains extremely important that we stay home to save lives and flatten the curve,” said Mayor Warren. “Governor Cuomo has extended the NYS on Pause Executive Order, and it is imperative that we follow the recommendations that are currently in place to keep our entire community, especially our most vulnerable residents, as safe and as healthy as possible.”

Clean Sweep is a one-day, community-wide initiative organized by the City’s Department of Environmental Services (DES) that takes place each spring. Since it was first launched in 2006, more than 30,000 volunteers have participated, working alongside City crews to remove winter debris and litter from city neighborhoods. Volunteers also plant flowers, prune trees and perform other neighborhood beautification projects, while City crews remove graffiti, clean City-owned properties, repair sidewalks and fill potholes.

DES will support a variety of alternative clean-up and beautifying measures, including mini sweeps and community gardens, once the NYS on Pause order has been relaxed and daily operations and activities return to normal.

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News Media: For more information, contact 311 (428-5990 outside city limits).