Roadside cleanups scheduled in McCandless, Franklin Park

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect a change in the meeting location for the April 15 cleanup.

A record-breaking 2,000 bags of trash is the unofficial goal for spring roadside cleanup events in McCandless, a volunteer opportunity happening April 15 and 22.

When the town started the roadside cleanup program in April 2018, volunteers collected 1,190 bags of trash, the equivalent of between 7 and 8 tons or about 10 large Dumpsters full, said John Bojarski, spokesperson for McCandless.

“If we are lucky, we will break the 2,000-bag mark during the April 15 event,” he said.

The McCandless cleanup days, hosted by the town’s Environmental Advisory Committee, begin at 8:30 a.m. Volunteers are asked to meet for the April 15 cleanup at the McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center, 830 Aufman Lane. The meeting place for the April 22 cleanup will be the Powers Room in Town Hall, 9955 Grubbs Road.

“At the end of the day, any amount of volunteers makes a difference. However, litter pileup never stops, so we always are shooting to have more and more volunteers. The most we’ve ever had for one of these events is about 100 volunteers, and we would love to break that record,” Bojarski said.

Safety vests, gloves and bags will be available. All participants must sign a waiver before volunteering. It can be found at townofmccandless.org.

McCandless held two fall cleanup days in October, during which volunteers collected about 110 bags.

Cleanup crews mostly find litter such as bottles, bags and cigarette butts. Tires, car parts and construction debris also are common, he said.

Questions can be emailed to jbojarski@townofmccandless.org.

A roadside cleanup also will take place in Franklin Park on April 29. Volunteers will pick up litter along McAleer Road, said Diana Platt, administrative assistant at the borough.

Platt said the Franklin Park’s Environmental Advisory Committee drove through the borough and “found this road needed the most attention.”

Participants are to meet at the Blueberry Hill Park activity center parking lot on Blaine’s Way at 10 a.m. The cleanup will go on rain or shine, she said.

Anyone interested in signing up for the Franklin Park cleanup can send an email to dplatt@franklinparkborough.us or call the borough office at 412-364-4115, Ext. 302.