Spring cleanup kicks off April 22 in Sherbrooke
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The City of Sherbrooke’s annual spring cleanup operation will begin on Tuesday, April 22, with mechanical sweepers covering streets, sidewalks and bike paths across the city. Residents are asked to rake their lawns and clear debris from the street edge over the weekend to help ensure smooth progress when municipal crews arrive.
“This is a major operation that takes several weeks,” said Antoine S. Petit, head of the City’s public works and construction division, during a press conference held Monday at the municipal garage. “We really need residents to collaborate—especially by removing their cars and bins on their designated cleaning day”.
This year’s campaign, which costs roughly $2 million, will start in the Fleurimont borough and unfold in three phases: preparatory work (already underway), sweeping of streets and sidewalks, and finally, cleaning of municipal parking lots. The entire process is expected to last about six weeks, with street cleaning alone taking around four weeks to complete.
“We alternate the starting location each year,” explained Petit. “This time we’re beginning in Fleurimont, but the schedule is built to minimize disruption. Arterial roads are usually cleaned at night to reduce noise, while local streets are done during the day”.
The City will use both municipal employees and contractors for the work. A fleet of sweepers has already been deployed downtown and on bike paths as part of the preparatory phase. Petit noted that this early work also allows the City to test equipment and train personnel before moving into full operations.
One important date to note: Parc Jacques-Cartier will be closed for 24 hours on Wednesday, April 23 to allow for thorough cleaning. A reminder will be sent to residents in advance, but that date may shift if weather conditions interfere.
