Early this year when Springfield needed some love, the community stepped up.

Thanks to the help of more than 1,000 volunteers who made the spring 2021 launch of Clean Green Springfield a success, the City and project partners are ramping up for a second round of cleanup and greenup opportunities this fall.

“We received a lot of positive feedback from citizens, neighborhoods, partner organizations and City Council following the spring campaign,” explains Director of Public Information and Civic Engagement Cora Scott. “We are excited to launch a fall round of Clean Green volunteer opportunities targeted for the month of October.” 

A total of 19 tons of litter was picked up through Clean Green’s spring initiative, helping reduce a noticeable eye-sore in our community, helping to improve water quality and protect the environment. An additional 170 groups or individuals registered for one-time roadway or stream cleanups, reinvigorating the City’s regular Adopt-A-Street and Adopt-A-Stream programs. 163 tons of trash were collected during twelve regular spring neighborhood cleanup events facilitated through Community Partnership of the Ozarks (CPO). Approximately 75 new volunteers provided through Clean Green assisted with neighborhood activities. Groups mobilized to help remove more than 1,031 bags of litter from Springfield roadways, trails and streams. Through the initiative’s disposal opportunities, more than 200 tons of trash and bulky items, including mattresses, tires and electronics were responsibly disposed of.

This October, individuals, families, civic and faith groups and employer teams are encouraged to participate once again in one or more of numerous cleanup and beautification opportunities.

Back again this fall will be two “Point of Pride” cleanup events – one on Oct. 2 at Doling Park and another on Oct. 9 at West Meadows (directly north of the Birthplace of Route 66 Roadside Park at 1200 W. College St.) A roadway median beautification event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 2 at the intersection of Kingsley Street and Cox Avenue. Volunteers may also sign up for one-time roadway and stream cleanups – opportunities that proved popular for busy organizations and families in the spring.   

New this fall is a greater emphasis on volunteer support surrounding neighborhood cleanups.

Seven of the City’s registered neighborhoods plan to host cleanups scheduled in October through early November. Events are facilitated through a partnership between the City, CPO and each registered neighborhood association.

Due to staffing issues with the waste hauling contractor, cleanup events must now be hosted during the week. Volunteers are needed to serve on “Cleanup Support Crew” to help neighbors unload items at the drop-off site and potentially lend a hand with bulky item pickup.  Volunteers for “Litter Teams” are also needed and will be dispatched to help cleanup street segments, alleyways, parks and public spaces throughout the neighborhoods.

Volunteers for neighborhood cleanups will have the opportunity to sign up for three shifts – morning shift (roughly 7 – 11 a.m.), lunch time (roughly 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.) and afternoon (roughly 2-7 p.m.).   

“Conducting neighborhood cleanups during the week is something we’re going to try for the upcoming fiscal year,” explains Rachel Tripp, community & neighborhood development specialist with CPO. “The change provides the opportunity to host full day events and hopefully serve even more families and residences throughout each neighborhood.”

With the switch to daytime hours, the City plans to encourage businesses to step up to register employee teams seeking community service and team-building opportunities during the work day.  

“In the spring, we learned that employers are looking for simple volunteer opportunities that allow their workers a fun and fulfilling experience,” explains Scott. “What better opportunity than to come out, help pick up litter and instantly see the positive effects it has on a local neighborhood.”

Two packet pickup events are scheduled 11 a.m. – 2 p.m on Fridays Oct. 2 and 15 for registrants to receive T-shirts and clean-up supplies. These are drive-through events hosted at the City’s Environmental Resource Center located at 290 E. Central Street.  

Also popular in the spring were no-cost opportunities for difficult to dispose of items. For Clean Green’s fall offerings, the City has allocated $10,000 to provide 500 vouchers to cover tipping fees at the landfill (a $20 value). This voucher will cover the disposal of up to 1,240 pounds of waste per citizen, which generally accounts for a pickup truck or trailer-load of household bulky items. Citizens may be required to cover the difference if disposing of extremely heavy items like shingles or dense furniture.

“The goal is to provide an opportunity for residents who may not be a part of a registered neighborhood to still be able to dispose of bulky items at no cost,” explains Superintendent of Solid Waste Erick Roberts. “Many residents don’t realize how close Springfield’s Noble Hill Sanitary Landfill is to town and how convenient it can be for residents to use to help clean up their properties and neighborhoods.”

See the fall lineup of Clean Green opportunities and register to volunteer at cleangreensgf.com.

Fall Clean Green Volunteer Opportunities: 

(All details and a simple registration process can be found at CleanGreenSGF.com) 

Point of Pride Cleanups 

The City will host TWO point of pride or “POP” cleanups this fall.  Individuals, families and volunteer teams are encouraged to lend a hand to make these locations the point of pride they are.  

Oct. 2 – Doling Park
The Doling Branch that runs through Springfield’s historic Doling Park is a new stream segment added to the City’s Adopt-A-Stream program in 2021. This section has yet to be adopted and needs some love.  

Parking is available at Doling Park (301 E. Talmage Street) in their north east parking lot near the tennis courts. Continue east on Talmage past Robberson Avenue and follow the driveway as it curves north behind the Doling Family Center building. 

Oct 9 – West Meadows
Join the West Central Neighborhood Alliance to clean up the West Meadows Trail and stream section near College Street and Fort Avenue. This area was tackled in the springtime round of Clean Green, but as a centrally located urban stream, is constantly in need of cleanup. Trail improvements at this brownfields redevelopment area were completed in fall 2020. Ripe with history, West Meadows includes historic Fulbright Spring, the location of one of Springfield’s earliest settlements. The area was also the location of a Union soldier encampment during the Civil War and lies adjacent to historic Route 66.

(A potential rain date of Oct. 23 will be held in case of inclement weather during one or both previously scheduled dates). 

Roadway & Stream Cleanups

Through the City’s Adopt-a-Street and Adopt-a-Stream programs, committed volunteers keep our city’s roadways and streams free from litter and debris. Register for a one-time cleanup or commit to adopt a section and keep it clean year-round. 

The City will provide the trash bags, you tell us when and where to pick them up when filled!  

Beautification Projects

Green thumb encouraged!  Another roadway median landscaping project will be conducted 8 a.m. – noon, Saturday, Oct. 2 at the intersection of Kingsley Street and S. Cox Avenue. Volunteers are needed to help install plants and spread mulch. 

Parking is available in the Fieldhouse parking lot directly to the north of the intersection. (Possible rain date, Oct. 9)

Support a Neighborhood Cleanup

Seven of the City’s registered neighborhoods plan to host neighborhood cleanups scheduled in October through early November. Volunteers will have the opportunity to sign up for three shifts – Morning (roughly 7-11 a.m.), Lunchtime (roughly 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ), Afternoon (roughly 2-7 p.m.). 

Volunteers can choose to register as part of the “Cleanup Support Crew” or “Litter Team.”  

Cleanup Support Crew will help staff the drop-off site to help neighbors check in and unload. They may also help with bulky item pickup throughout the neighborhood. Do you have a truck and trailer? Sign up to help transport bulky items and trash from residences in need to the cleanup collection site.   

Litter Teams will be dispatched to designated areas of need throughout the neighborhood, cleaning up brush in alleyways, street segments, parks and public spaces.  

Fall Neighborhood Cleanup Schedule

Several times and dates are still being determined. Please visit cleangreensgf.com for up-to-date neighborhood cleanup information. 

• Tuesday, Oct. 5 – Greater Parkcrest Neighborhood – 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. – One Life Church (3245 S. Kansas)
• Thursday, Oct. 7 – Meador Park Neighborhood – 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. – Meador Park (2500 S. Fremont)
• Tuesday, Oct. 12 – Galloway Village Neighborhood – 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. – Galloway Baptist Church (2816 E. Republic Road) 
• Thursday, Oct. 19-20  – Grant Beach Neighborhood – 7 a.m. – TBD – Central Assembly of God (1301 N. Boonville)
• Tuesday, Oct. 26 – West Central Neighborhood Alliance – 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. – Southside Baptist Church (465 S. Grant Ave.)
• Thursday, Oct. 28 – Oak Grove Neighborhood – 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – East Grand Church of Christ (2220 E. Grand St.) 
• Thursday, Nov. 4 – Delaware Neighborhood – 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. – Westminster Presbyterian (1551 E. Portland). 

Fall Disposal Opportunity – Landfill Voucher

The City has allocated $10,000 to provide 500 vouchers to cover tipping fees at the landfill (a $20 value). This voucher is available to Springfield residents and will cover the disposal of up to 1,240 pounds of waste per citizen, which generally accounts for a pickup truck or trailer-load of household bulky items. Citizens may be required to cover the difference if disposing of extremely heavy items like shingles or dense furniture. Register to receive a tipping fee voucher at cleangreensgf.com.

Learn more and register for fall Clean Green Springfield volunteer and disposal opportunities at CleanGreenSGF.com.