Take Pride Winnipeg mobilizes volunteers for city cleanup

The snow is slowly melting in Winnipeg, but its not just revealing grass and concrete.

Its also revealing a massive mess the city needs to clean up. Dirt, grime and litter that has been frozen in snow and ice for six months is now dotting city streets, and city crews said its too early to start sweeping streets because of cool temperatures.

Crews need temperatures to stay above zero overnight before they can send out their cleaning equipment.

In the meantime, Take Pride Winnipeg is hosting its annual spring clean up to help.

The organization sponsored a cleanup at a number of schools including Fort Rouge School.

"Some people litter around our school, so we go out with plastic bags, and we clean it up!" said Aira Ambay, a student who helped with the cleanup on Tuesday.

Every year the students do a spring cleanup in their neighbourhood.

"I think its important. These are life skills the kids are learning," said Tom Ethans, the executive director of Take Pride Winnipeg

"Its our own community, and if we all work together, our community will be healthy in the future."

Take Pride Winnipeg has been sponsoring and encouraging community clean-ups for more than 20 years.

This year it rewarded volunteers with a day of fun at the MTS Centre.

"It takes a concerted effort by everybody to make a difference," said Ethans.

"We cant just leave it up to a few people to make a difference."