The south end of Winnipeg is the grungiest area in the city — and overall, the city's getting dirtier, according to a survey released Friday by Take Pride Winnipeg.
In a litter index conducted this week, the Fort Garry/Fort Richmond/St. Norbert area was rated as having the most litter in the city.
The three south-end suburbs received a score of 2.53 on the index, which gives a score of one for litter-free areas and four for highly littered areas. McGillivray Boulevard, Waverley Street and Bison Drive were identified as particularly dirty.
The River Heights/Tuxedo/Charleswood area was ranked the next-dirtiest, scoring 2.42, according to a release issued Friday by Take Pride, a non-profit organization aimed at improving the city's appearance.
Winnipeg's north scored the best at 1.55, followed by Transcona at 1.61. Keewatin Street was singled out as having the least amount of litter.
The city's downtown ranked as third-tidiest of the 12 areas surveyed.
Overall, Take Pride officials said more litter is on city streets than last year. The index gave Winnipeg as a whole a score of 2.02 this year, compared with 1.89 in 2007.
The organization urged Winnipeggers to become involved in its annual spring cleanup campaign. Participants receive free trash bags and ballots for prizes.
"Over 18,000 people have signed up so far; our goal this year is 45,000," which would top 2007's particpation by 3,000, Colleen Kurlowich, spokesperson for Take Pride Winnipeg, said in the release.
"There are groups as small as two and are large as over 500, in all age categories."
The campaign runs from now until the beginning of June; those interested can sign up on the Take Pride's "Team Up to Clean Up" website.[zt] |