Street sweeping, tree planting, litter pickup and so much more!

The City of Vaughan’s Public Works portfolio plays an essential role in keeping Vaughan safe, clean and beautiful, by providing quality services year-round to ensure the city runs smoothly and efficiently. 

Here are some highlights of the 2022 summer maintenance operations and upcoming fall services: 

Street sweeping and road maintenance
To date, the City has completed more than 6,000 kilometres of street sweeping and will continue sweeping efforts throughout the fall until the end of November, weather permitting. To date, the City has collected about 2,000,000 kilograms (about 4,409,245 pounds) of debris off the streets. 

City staff have also repaired 3,556 potholes this year. Additionally, the Boulevard Grass Cutting program launched in May with 13 rotations annually, each running for two weeks. 

Boulevard cleaning enhancements
Last month, the City introduced mechanical litter collection vacuum units – another way Public Works is elevating its resources to stay on top of litter collection on our boulevards and sidewalks. Crews have picked up 513 bags of litter, totaling 9,308 kilograms (20,520 pounds) since launching in July. 

Winter season preparation
With winter approaching, Road Operations have placed their order for salt deliveries with domes to be filled ahead of the winter season. They have a fleet of more than 170 operations units ready to maintain local, collector and rural roads as well as sidewalks, walkways and pathways across the city. 

Traffic services
So far this summer, the City has replaced 53 streetlight poles and repaired and re-energized a total of 625 streetlights to enhance safety and visibility for all road users.

Pavement markings and Signs program
Every year, the City embarks on a program to freshen up pavement markings. Since the spring, about 530 kilometres (329 miles) were retraced. This included about 40 kilometres (25 miles) aimed specifically at managing traffic speeds by narrowing travel lanes.

As well, 16,300 traffic signs were inspected this summer to ensure they were visible at night, and 200 in-road flexible signs were installed to manage traffic speeds and support safer pedestrian crossings.

Park maintenance, litter and debris cleanup
The City’s cleaning blitz began in March with the collection of litter from Vaughan’s parks and open spaces – a total of 7,758 bags of litter and 30,000 kilograms (300 tonnes) of illegal dumping have been collected so far this year. These efforts continue alongside weekly park garbage collection and turf-cutting, which occurs bi-weekly. City crews and contractors completed 9 of 12 grass cutting and trimming rotations of our 600 plus hectares of parks and open spaces.   

Forestry maintenance
The City received nearly 900 calls following the May 21 windstorm, all of which have been responded to by staff. 

Approximately 16,000 trees have been pruned so far in 2022. In July, the City began tree stump removals and staff have removed 517 stumps to date. Tree planting is well underway, with more than 1,500 trees planted this year. Regular tree maintenance continues to operate at full capacity​ with a priority focus on restoring wait times to pre-storm levels.  

To help control the spongy moth population, inspections of more than 8,100 City-owned trees began in April throughout heavily infested areas. Staff have effectively removed egg masses from more than 3,000 trees so far. The City has noted a dramatic reduction in spongy moth populations but will continue to monitor and track priority locations. Mitigation measures, like egg mass removals, will be performed as required this winter and spring. Residents can also take these precautions to help prevent more caterpillars from hatching in the future. 

For tips on how to remove egg masses, watch this short instructional video on the City’s YouTube channel. Always wear gloves when handling egg masses to avoid an allergic reaction. 

Horticulture refresh
The City continued efforts to beautify Vaughan this summer as part of its Beautification Strategy by planting flowers, ornamental grasses and more. Shrub and plant bed maintenance (pruning, mulching, weeding, litter cleanup and watering) continue to run on a regular rotation, while seasonal renovations ramp up. To date, staff have put out 750 hanging baskets, planted 600 planters and installed 50,000 annuals in beds across all five wards. City gardeners will be transitioning to our horticulture fall displays in the coming days of mums. kale, cabbage and other wonderful fall flowers.   

Stormwater and wastewater services
The City’s stormwater management ponds undergo three rounds of litter pickup and grass cutting each year. The third and final round for 2022 is underway and will be completed within the next month. Litter pickup is undertaken in all non-aquatic areas before grass cutting along the perimeter of the pond. About 1,500 bags of litter and debris have been collected from the City’s stormwater management ponds so far this year. 

Water maintenance
Vaughan’s drinking water system includes more than 10,000 hydrants – each are vitally important to providing fire protection and helping to maintain water quality. Since April, staff have inspected 7,410 hydrants, painted 2,223 hydrants and cycled 2,199 valves. 

Staff also look after water shut-off and turn-on requests, which typically increase during the spring and summer months. Non-emergency water shut-off and turn-on requests must be submitted four to six weeks before the shut off or turn on is required. 

These maintenance efforts demonstrate how Vaughan’s Public Works professionals continue to go above and beyond to provide essential services that safeguard and enhance the quality of life in this growing city. This work reflects many priorities in the 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan, including Active, Safe and Diverse Communities; Environmental Stewardship; Citizen Experience; and Operational Performance. 

For more information about City matters, call 905-832-2281 or visit vaughan.ca. 

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