Win-win-win, as area non-profits get the go ahead to clean up Whitecourt and Woodlands County and make some cash

Ditches flanking roadways in the area will be getting a sprucing starting in early May, thanks to
three spring campaigns. The Annual Roadside Cleanup Campaign in Woodlands County, the
Annual Highway Cleanup Program from Alberta Transportation & Economic Corridors and
Whitecourt’s Community Cleanup Program will happen soon. All three programs give non-profit
organizations, including local sports teams and clubs, a chance to beautify their community
roadways while raising much-needed funds.
On the first Saturday of May, volunteer groups across the province will participate in the Annual
Highway Cleanup Program presented by Alberta Transportation & Economic Corridors and be
paid $100/kilometre to clean up garbage and debris on provincial roads. Woodlands County
offers the same rate for its roads, giving groups more choices for roads to clean.
Numerous provincial roads in Woodlands were on the list for cleanup, including portions of the
661, 658, 751, and 547 secondary roads, the road into Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park,
Highway 32 south to township 580, and Highway 32 north, extending for 35 kilometres.
County-managed roads included in the cleanup are Flats Road and Trestle Road, Horse Creek,
Pride Valley, Timeu, West Mountain Road, East Mountain Road, which includes Tower Road
and the Cutacross, Old Ferry Road, the Old Blue Ridge Highway, Westridge Road, Bison Road,
Robison Road, and the Schuman Lake Campground.
Once groups are selected and given their cleanup zones, their designated Road Managers,
chosen from within their group, will receive mandatory training to keep participants safe during
the event. Groups will be paid $100 per kilometre of dual-side roadway they clean. Groups that
pull together a large chunk of people could cover quite a distance, resulting in a good check.
Many groups, including Whitecourt Taekwondo, rely on the funding raised during the event to
help support their club.
In Whitecourt, the Community Clean Up Program runs a bit differently but with the same
intentions. Groups apply by submitting a proposal, selecting the best day(s), and deciding how
many hours they will complete between 50 and 100. Approved groups get $12 per hour they
work. If a group worked the full 100 hours, they would receive a check for $1,200 upon
completion.
During Whitecourt Town Council’s April 22 regular meeting, Council was presented with a list of
twelve groups that had applied to take part in the cleanup program. Ecole St. Mary School’s
grade six classes, St. Patrick’s Anglican Church, the Whitecourt Social Experience Club, the
Scuba Diving Team for Festival Park Pond Cleaning and eight Whitecourt Warriors soccer
teams (U13, U15, U17, U19, both girls’ and boys’ teams) applied.
The Whitecourt Social Experience Club is comprised of individuals with special needs who raise
money to have experiences together. The group plans to use some of the money from the
cleanup to go bowling in Edson.
The yearly budget supports eight groups at 100 hours each, totalling $9,600. Though not all
groups seek the full 100 hours, it would be unlikely that all twelve groups could be included in

the same budget. The administration recommended awarding the 2024 Community Clean Up
Program to the Ecole St. Mary’s students and the soccer teams since the policy’s intent is to
prioritize youth groups. The recommendation also said that should there be remaining funding,
the remaining groups would be able to join the program.
“It’s great to see the number of applications received. Normally, we receive three or four
applications and end up readvertising. Sometimes we even get the groups to reapply,”
explained CAO Peter Smyl, speaking of previous years where groups who had already applied
and cleaned their area were encouraged to reapply to clean another area.
“I know it’s difficult sometimes to pass on other people who want to do good benefit to the
community, especially those who provided those services in prior years,” said Smyl. He then
brought up an option. “Just for Council’s information, we have eight thousand dollars that we
use for Town cleanups, which we allocate to special projects. A lot of times, we have projects in
town that we might go and clean some cut lines, or we might have dumping sites around town,”
he added.
He said Council could either take $3,600 from the $8,000 and fund all twelve groups through the
program, allowing each group to try and get 100 hours, if desired, leaving no one out, or allow
for the remaining three groups to be put to work on other areas that typically pop up through the
spring and summer.
Smyl said residents often spot issues with garbage and dumping in the community’s trail
system, around public areas, or on crown land within town limits, giving several opportunities for
the remaining groups to work towards some dollars, similar to the program. It was Council’s
decision which way they wanted to go.
Multiple councillors remarked on wanting to see all twelve groups receive money from the pot
and have more areas cleaned up. “Let’s put them all to work,” said Councillor Bill McAree. “If we
have some money, then let’s just get everybody out there. I think we should support any group
that wants to come forward. If we have the money, let’s clean up the town.”
McAree made a motion to fund all twelve groups, using a portion of the $8,000 to fund the over-
applied program. The motion passed unanimously. Groups will be out cleaning throughout the
summer, depending on the days each one picks. Signage will be out, and participants will be
wearing safety vests. Motorists are asked to exercise caution when passing areas where
cleanup is taking place, whether in Whitecourt or Woodlands County (May 4). Should weather
be a problem, Woodlands County would move its event to the following weekend, May 11.