Keep the neighborhood looking nice

The West 7th/Fort Road Federation in partnership with the Capital Region Watershed District and the City of Saint Paul plans multiple cleanup events each year. Volunteers gather with others in the community to clean trash from public right of way. We’ll meet at rotating locations in the neighborhood  to pick up tools, supplies, and have a refreshment.

The Federation provides volunteers trash-grabbers,  trash bags, and nitrile gloves for those who need them. Or, feel free to provide your own gear. Registration is not required. 

• Saturday, July 26th 11am-1pm at Palace Community Center
• September 2025 (final date TBD)
• April 2026 (final date TBD)

The West 7th/Fort Road Federation offers Neighborhood Cleanup Kits for community members or organizations to borrow to lead their own cleanup events.

Plan a cleanup in your neighborhood or add one to your annual block party this summer!

Each Kit Includes:

• 10 Trash Grabbers
• 10 Hi-Vis Vests
• Bags and Gloves

To reserve a kit email Fortroadfed@fortroadfederation.org. Reserve one kit for any event or two for a larger cleanup!

West 7th/Fort Road Federation has teamed up with Capitol Region Watershed District for the Como Curb Cleanup. When it rains, leaves on streets release nutrients into the water that flows into storm drains and the lake. There it becomes food that fuels algae overgrowth. Join 100+ neighbors in sweeping your curb once a week this fall to help keep Como Lake clean.

Signing up below to be an official participant helps us track results and helps (a lot) to support future efforts!

Simple in design, but mighty in its impact, Curb Cleaning is an individual, household practice led by neighbors on their own properties. When we all do this, it becomes a collective practice, removing water pollution sources that, in the aggregate, significantly impact the Mississippi River.

Curb Cleaning season is Oct. 1 through November 30.

During autumn, our focus is leaves! All those fall leaves that accumulate in our street gutters otherwise known as our “curbs.” Each household focuses just on the stretch of curb that borders their own private property (alleys too, if you have one).

Streets + leaves + stormwater runoff = nutrient pollution in local waters!

When rainwater washes over leaf litter accumulated along street curbs, phosphorus and nitrogen leach out of those leaves (think of a tea bag). This creates nutrient infused runoff that then flows to the nearest storm drain and into underground storm sewer pipes. In West 7th, our pipes flow directly to the Mississippi River.

• October 1st, begin monitoring the curbs that border your private property.
• Once a week (or as needed) if you notice leaf litter has accumulated along the curb, sweep it up.
• You can simply push it up onto your boulevard. This at least gets it out of the street where stormwater runoff will flow. You can then deal with the leaves when you’re ready to manage your yard leaves.
• Or you can gather them up and move them immediately to a pile in your backyard, to breakdown into compost over the winter.
• Or you can bundle them up and take them to the nearest county yard waste site.
• Or you can bag them in a compostable bag and ask your waste hauler to pick them up (for a fee).
• November 30th, if you’d like your pollution source removal to be counted in our community-wide, results, you can report a.) how many feet of curb you took care of and b.) how often you cleaned your curbs. We will email reporting info to you if you’ve registered to participate.