April 22, 2022
17th Annual Canal Clean Sweep Makes an Impact
On Earth Day weekend, the NYS Canal Corporation and Parks & Trails New York hosted Canal Clean Sweep, a weekend of 130 spring clean-ups on sections of the Canalway Trail, in canalside parks, and in other public areas throughout the Canal corridor.
Thanks to dedicated event organizers and thousands of passionate volunteers, the 17th annual Canal Clean Sweep was a great success! We had scout clubs, Rotary and Kiwanis chapters, Adopt-a-Trail groups, nature clubs, college students, church groups, elected officials, sports teams, local businesses and groups of many other types come together to show their love for the Canal and Canalway Trail System.
2022 Resources for Event Organizers
Interested in hosting an event in 2023? Review the checklist from 2022 and check out the resources we provide for organizing a successful clean-up. Stay tuned for the next Canal Clean Sweep. Feel free to reach out to canalsweep@ptny.org with any questions.
Organizer Package Contents
Organizer Package Contents:
- Trash bags for litter collection
- Canal Clean Sweep T-shirts
- Canal Clean Sweep tote-bags
- 2022 Flyer
- An instruction letter, checklist for organizers, a sign-in sheet, a volunteer safety checklist, and a photo release agreement
Promoting your event
Promoting your Event:
- Download and print the flyer to hang up around your community
- Use the community press release template to let local news outlets know about your event
- Partner with a local Bike Friendly NY business - use the interactive map on our website to see if there is one near you
- Create a Facebook event and invite your friends! Make sure to include the link to the volunteer registration form
- Post about your event on all your social media platforms. Make sure you use #CanalCleanSweep and tag Parks & Trails New York, Erie Canalway Trail, and NYS Canal Corporation in your posts to be shared out.
Share your #CanalCleanSweep
Share your #CanalCleanSweep experience!
- Take lots of photos and share them throughout the day, using the hashtag #CanalCleanSweep and tagging @eriecanalwaytrail, @parkstrailsny and @nyscanalcorp
- Upload your best shots to this google drive folder, creating a folder with your organization/group's name or email them to canalsweep@ptny.org
Contact us at canalsweep@ptny.org with any questions or concerns.
Thank you to our 2022 Canal Clean Sweep sponsors:

Adopt-a-Trail

Another way to show your appreciaton for the Canalway Trail is by adopting a trail section through the Adopt-a-Trail program. Contact PTNY at canaltrail@ptny.org or 518-434-1583 for more information.