Volunteers are encouraged to register today as groups across New York State prepare for the 18th Canal Clean Sweep to be held April 21-23rd. Canal Clean Sweep is an annual clean-up event held across the New York State Canal System and Canalway Trail. With more than 100 events and more than 2,500 volunteers expected along the more than 400-mile-long Canalway Trail system and the 524-mile-long Canal system, Canal Clean Sweep is New York’s largest Earth Day clean-up event. This weekend provides opportunities for thousands of residents to give back to their local communities and to show pride in one of New York’s most iconic cultural and recreational resources.
Clean Sweep is scheduled to coincide with the annual Earth Day celebrations on Saturday, April 22. Canal Clean Sweep will be one of a number of events held around the state to recognize the ongoing commitment to improving the health of our natural environment, in addition to being part of a nationwide celebration to encourage people to get outside and enjoy our exceptional trails and trail systems.
The 2023 Canal Clean Sweep will take place following a full year of trail use since the completion and opening of the Empire State Trail, a 750-mile multi-use path spanning the state from Manhattan north to the Adirondacks and west along the historic Erie Canal corridor to Buffalo. Over the last few years, the Canalway Trail system has seen unprecedented use, reflecting significant investments made as part of the completion of the Empire State Trail, and increased interest and participation in outdoor recreational activities due to COVID-19. Through the efforts of volunteers across the state during Canal Clean Sweep 2023, communities will ensure the Canalway Trail system will remain a pristine recreational resource for locals and visitors alike.
To register, click on a pin on the interactive map by visiting www.ptny.org/canalsweep to sign up for the event you would like to attend. Make sure to note the date and time as most events occur the weekend of April 21-23, but some clean-ups might be earlier or later. Please keep in mind that volunteers can only register for public events through the interactive map. Those that are attending a private event should contact the host directly.
“Canal Clean Sweep unites residents in canalside communities across 524 miles along the Erie, Oswego, Cayuga-Seneca, and Champlain canals. With nearly 100 events registered so far, we are so appreciative of the overwhelming support that stewards provide each year to prepare Canalway and Canalway Trail for the summer months,” said Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York. “I am excited to be part of the 18th annual event to celebrate Earth Day and showcase the canal system as a major recreation and tourism destination.”
“The devoted volunteers who join us in celebrating Earth Day by helping preserve the landscapes and ecosystems along the Canal system and Empire State Trail are vital to ensuring that every visitor can enjoy and experience all that New York’s canals and trails have to offer,” said Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton. “We are exceptionally grateful to the thousands of volunteers who have already signed up for this year’s Canal Clean Sweep, and to our partners across New York who contribute to the success of the event every year.”
