There’s a moment every fall when Saskatoon starts to look a little different.
The trees turn, the leaves come down, and suddenly the gutters and boulevards are covered in colour. It’s a nice part of the season, right up until all those leaves start collecting along the curb.
That’s when City crews get to work.
Beginning October 13, street sweepers will roll through some of Saskatoon’s leafiest neighbourhoods, clearing leaves and debris from along the curb. It’s part of the annual Fall Street Sweeping program, and it’s about more than making the streets look tidy.
It’s about getting ahead of spring.
When snow melts, water needs somewhere to go. Leaves packed around catch basins can plug them up and make it harder for water to drain, increasing the risk of flooding.
That’s also why the fall sweep doesn’t happen across the entire city. Unlike the spring sweep, which covers a much larger portion of Saskatoon after winter, the fall program is targeted at areas where there are a lot of mature trees and a higher risk of drainage problems.
This year, crews will be working in Nutana, Holiday Park, Varsity View, Mayfair, Buena Vista, Riversdale, City Park, King George, Exhibition and Caswell Hill. These neighbourhoods have plenty of mature tree canopy, and plenty of leaves to go with it.
But the City’s sweepers aren’t the only ones who can help. A little fall yard work goes a long way.
Fall Sweep: Be a good neighbour
Homeowners are responsible for cleaning leaves from the sidewalk and boulevard beside their property. Loose leaves can go in the green cart or be dropped off at a compost depot. Bagged leaves can go in the black cart.
The one place leaves shouldn’t go is the street. Pushing or blowing leaves into the roadway can create piles that slow down sweepers, delay the schedule and contribute to drainage problems. If excessive leaves are pushed onto the street, crews may even have to skip it.
There’s another thing to watch for when fall sweeping comes to the neighbourhood: yellow signs.
Bright yellow No Parking signs will be posted 36 to 48 hours before a street is swept. Vehicles need to be moved by 7 a.m. on the scheduled day so crews can get right to the curb. Vehicles left in posted areas may be ticketed and relocated.
The schedule can also change with the weather. Temperatures below -5 C can delay the start of sweeping or bring the work to an early end. Heavy rain, snow or consistently freezing temperatures can cancel a scheduled sweep. Service Alerts will be issued when there are changes.
And if a street seems to have been missed, there’s no need to wonder whether the sweeper forgot. Streets and avenues are often scheduled on different days, and sweepers won’t operate in posted school zones during pick-up and drop-off times.
Fall has a way of making Saskatoon feel a little quieter. The days get shorter, the air gets colder and the leaves slowly disappear.
Before winter settles in, City crews will take care of some of the mess left behind. Residents can help with the rest:
☑️ Keep the leaves out of the gutter.
☑️ Keep the yard tidy.
☑️ Watch for the yellow signs.
☑️ Move the vehicle when it’s time.
Small things, but they help the whole street fall into place.
