Thousands of volunteers are expected to fan out across New York State this weekend as part of the annual Canal Clean Sweep, a large-scale cleanup effort organized by Parks & Trails New York and the New York State Canal Corporation. The event, running April 18–20, aims to remove trash, debris, and storm damage from the Canalway Trail system in honor of Earth Day.
More than 180 public events are scheduled, offering a wide range of opportunities for families, school groups, and community organizations to pitch in on trail maintenance and beautification.
In Central New York, events will take place in several towns and parks along the canal corridor. In Port Byron, volunteers will gather at the 1819 Aqueduct Site and Heritage Park to clear debris starting at 10 a.m. Friday. On Saturday, cleanup efforts stretch from Montezuma to Macedon. Participants in Montezuma Heritage Park will tackle trail maintenance across 11 paths, while in Lyons, crews will clean from Geneva Street Bridge to Abbey Park, followed by a noon pizza celebration.
Meanwhile, Palmyra volunteers will focus on Market Street and the canal trail to Aqueduct Park. In Seneca Lake State Park, the Cayuga-Seneca Canal Clean Sweep will mobilize crews to fan out across multiple trail sections. Additional groups will gather in Macedon, Clyde, and Savannah—with some hosting post-event picnics as a thank-you to participants.
In Clyde, the SPAN group will clean the Erie Canal Path through Lauraville Landing Park on Sunday and reward volunteers with a lunch spread of hot dogs, chips, and shared dishes. Elsewhere, crews led by the RJSARMY group will clean from Spencer Knight Park to Harder Park, and another team will tackle brush and trash near Route 31 in Wayne County.
Volunteers are encouraged to wear weather-appropriate clothing and bring work gloves. All event details, including meetup locations and registration forms, are available via an interactive map on the Parks & Trails NY website.
List of Canal Clean Sweep Locations:
- Towpath Road Trail Head, Cayuga (Tour Cayuga Canal Crew)
- Samuel Center for Canal History, Port Byron
- High Street Trailhead, Montezuma Heritage Park
- Post Office on Main Street, Savannah
- Route 31 & Gannett Rd, Wayne County
- Lauraville Landing Park, Clyde (SPAN Clean Sweep)
- Behind Fire Department, 23 Water Street, Lyons
- 132 Market Street, Palmyra
- Spencer Knight Park, RJSARMY Clean Up
- Lock 30, Macedon (American Legion Event)
- Seneca Lake State Park (Cayuga-Seneca Canal Clean Sweep)
- Seneca Lake State Park (Fayette Ward Cleanup)
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