SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Thirty groups have volunteered to clean up the winter's litter, recently unveiled by the melting of the snow.

Danielle Ignacio-Pacunayen is one of the members of the Youth group at the Yellowknife Vineyard Church who cleaned up for cash during the Yellowknife Spring Clean up on Saturday, May 21. - Heather Lange/NNSL photo

The city is giving out $970 to each group for their efforts in cleaning Yellowknife up, but Mayor Gord Van Tighem said the cleanup is about more than a way for organizations to make some cash.

"The cleaner it is, the more pride in the community and the more welcoming to tourists. A lot of groups are young people and they are earning an investment in their own interest," said Mayor Gord Van Tighem.

The groups had one week – May 22 to May 29 – to get their specific areas clean of litter, glass and lumber. Usually the cleanup starts a week earlier but due to one last spell of winter in May, the cleanup was slightly behind schedule.

Clear-cutting bush and picking up doggy-doo was not a requirement to the great relief of many of the members of the youth group at the Yellowknife Vineyard Church. Instead, the group focused their efforts on picking up litter.

They had about 14 members come out for their cleanup on May 21 around the Tim Hortons, towards Shell and then all the way to Range Lake, or the "bog" as youth leader Pam Bradbury named it. She said the money was going towards a good cause.

"We will be using the money to help fund our youth group's upcoming trip to Edmonton to attend a Youth Christian Conference from June 27-29." said Bradbury.

This is not the only effort the city makes in keeping Yellowknife clean. Van Tighem also mentioned the ongoing Adopt a Street Program which gives community members a chance to give back to the community by keeping a specific street clean.

Parents can use the program to teach their kids how to have pride in their surroundings and get them started volunteering at the local level. People can adopt a street on the City of Yellowknife website.

The Joint Task Force North will also doing a spring cleanup today after its annual 5 km Red Shirt Walk/Run on Frame Lake Trail, which is happening from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

After their walk, or run, from the Ceremonial Circle to Stanton Territorial Hospital and back, they will be picking up garbage bags and getting to work beautifying the McMahon Frame Lake Trail.

"This is our chance to give back to the community by getting involved with the spring clean up," Capt. Trevor Henderson, public affairs outreach officer with Joint Task Force North

He said about 100-150 people, or everyone on duty at the time, will be participating in this event, which is in its fourth year.

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