Hundreds of Volunteers, Dozens of Kilometres of Trail and a Great Sense of Community

Trail Care cleanups along the Trans Canada Trail 

This past June, hundreds of volunteers came together to take care of trails in their communities. From Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Memramcook, New Brunswick, here’s a look at some of the trail groups and community organizations that came out and cleaned up the Trail as part of our Trail Care grant program. 

Picking up trash and readying the trail for summer 

In Tantramar, New Brunswick, the municipality worked with 3 schools, 12 volunteer organizations and several businesses – plus municipal staff – to clear the Marshes section of the Trans Canada Trail, as well as parks and streets throughout the municipality. Funding from Trans Canada Trail’s Trail Care grant program paid for gloves, bags, advertising and a dumpster – plus snacks! “We were very pleased with the results of our annual event. There was rain on April 22, so some groups elected to clean the following day or the following weekend as well,” said Matt Pryde, Director of Active Living and Culture with the municipality of Tantramar. A total of 100 volunteers cleaned up the Trail, and they picked up 30 garbage bags of trash! 

Photo credit: Municipality of Tantramar

Celebrating collective impact along the Trail 

In Edmonton, Alberta, the River Valley Alliance Spring Trail Cleanup on May 3 “fostered a strong sense of community and environmental stewardship by providing an accessible, hands-on opportunity for individuals to give back to the trails they love,” says Makennah Walker with the River Valley Alliance.  

The group supplied cleaning kits to volunteers and hosted a barbecue after the event as a thank you. “The event helped deepen connections between volunteers and the River Valley Alliance, introduced new participants to our work, and encouraged ongoing engagement in future trail-related initiatives,” Makennah explains. 

Volunteers collected litter and debris from high-traffic areas between Emily Murphy Park and Dawson Park, helping restore the trail’s natural beauty after the winter season. 

Photo credit: City of Dawson Creek

Making connections from Manitoba to British Columbia 

In Neepawa, Manitoba, town staff worked with the Filipino-Canada Association to clean up the Neepawa Langford Trail. Cassandra Groen with the town of Neepawa says that the event went perfectly – over 40 volunteers showed up and, together, they cleaned up 4 kilometres of the Trans Canada Trail. “We worked alongside the Filipino-Canada Association, and bridging this relationship was amazing!” she adds. 

In Dawson Creek, British Columbia, the municipal staff worked with local volunteers and community sponsors to clean up the Trans Canada Trail section that runs through town. “The Trail Care funds were used to clean up the Trail for bikers, runners and walkers to enjoy and take pride in their community. Funds went to purchasing safety material for 23 volunteers,” explains Chelsey Yaremichuk with the City of Dawson Creek. 

Photo credit: Town of Neepawa

The impact of volunteerism come to life 

Trail clean–ups like the ones highlighted here are just a small part of the exceptional work trail groups and community organizations undertook – from coast to coast to coast – as part of the Trail Care grant program, which provides funding for community-led projects to improve Trail sections, supporting the transition from one season to another. 

Trail Care is generously supported by Athletic Brewing, Columbia Sportswear Canada, and Toyota Canada. 

Photo credit: Municipality of St Stephen

Learn more about Trail Care here. 

Main photo credit: River Valley Alliance