Neighborhood Cleanup Competition

Concept:

A summary of the idea, the needs it serves, and a description of a possible pilot program

Community cleanup initiatives have succeeded in Pittsburgh before, from cleaning the river walk trails to turning vacant lots into playgrounds and mural gardens, Pittsburghers can and do take ‘green' into their own hands. This collective behavior is beneficial to everyone and should be a common occurrence throughout the city.

Nothing gets people moving quite like a competition. By promoting, supporting, documenting and then celebrating the efforts of a community-based ‘Redd Up' competition, this concept builds community pride and environmental consciousness.

A pilot competition could be either residential or business based or both:

Residential competition:

• Each neighborhood would fix a chosen ‘sore spot'
• Tour organized to showcase/dedicate refurbished sites
• Citizen committee chooses the best transformation, best effort, etc.

Business competition:

• Proprietors receive supplies and equipment to keep their shop fronts clean
• Commerce associations could 'adopt' a sore spot or street
• Citizen committee chooses best transformation, best effort, etc.
  

The project could distribute new ‘branded' trash receptacles throughout the city as a means of promotion and enlist youth as ‘clean street guardians' to keep the sentiment of the project going.

Each participating neighborhood or business group would receive supplies and equipment for the clean up. "Before & After" pictures of each site could be taken and posted in a newsletter, presented online, or displayed at dedication ceremonies.

Priorities:

These ideals are integral to a successful project design

• building on existing initiatives like Mayor O'Connor's Redd Up Campaign, Earth Day, Arbor Day
• breeding activity at the personal and community level
• promoting citizen ownership
• caring for community assets
• building cross-generational and cross-social bonds within communities

Idea History:

Learn more about the idea, from genesis to dialogue

This concept comes from the Redd Up Romp from room 337 and The Living Broom from room 520.

The Redd Up Romp, led by Carole, Rosey, Tanya, and Lauren, proposed the residential competition and suggested a tour to showcase the transformations.

The Living Broom, led by Dev, Marianne, and Erica, proposed the business competition to engage business owners and to clean up the most frequented parts of the community- the store-front business districts.

Related Links:

Get to know these groups, organizations, projects, and authorities, their current and past activities, the possibility for consultation or partnership, and in-roads to collaboration.

• Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
• PA Cleanways of Allegheny County
  
• Greening Vacant Lots
• Redd Up Pittsburgh
  

General Questions:

These important questions are asked of each idea. Try your hand at answering them as a way to explore the idea and how to make it happen. Answers to these questions help to demonstrate the Idea's strength and potential for success.

1. What level is the idea at? (Research, Planning, Fundraising, Advocacy, Deployment, other (explain))
2. What is a reasonable next step/phase for the concept? How can investment move the idea forward?
3. What other resources or opportunities are available or necessary to make the idea happen?
4. What existing activities or organizations in Pittsburgh duplicate some or all of the program components? How can this idea compete with, complement, and/or learn from these other activities?
5. Who should be included in this discussion? Does the concept call for outside consultation or assistance from other organizations?
6. How should the idea be promoted?
7. How should project success be measured?
8. What questions should be asked of a proposal for this project?

Starter Questions:

These questions address some of the anticipated programmatic concerns that come with administering small projects. Consider them test questions for model projects-- responses should be incorporated into the project's design.

1. How will neighborhoods and/or business districts be solicited for participation?
2. How will progress be tracked?
3. Will the residential competition be between communities or within a single community?
4. Will the business competition be between districts or between single shops in a district?
5. How long would the contest last and how often would it be held?
6. How will the contest be administered? Who judges the winners and how are they awarded?