Jackie Tanner has been a resident of North Central Regina for 14 years, and her love for the neighbourhood is what fueled her to organize a group cleanup over the Easter weekend.

As the winter snow came and melted, it left behind more garbage than one person could tackle.

“We don’t want our neighbourhood looking like this anymore,” Tanner said during the cleanup on Friday. “We want it clean. We want people to think of us differently.”

Tanner said the North Central Community Association is hosting a cleanup in the coming months, but she wanted to get rid of the litter as soon as possible.

“This is when you’re seeing the trash because people are out,” she said. “This is when people are walking around.”

Over a ten day span, Tanner organized everything for the cleanup. She said the City of Regina agreed to waive landfill fees for the garbage that is collected. Businesses also jumped on board to help out, donating garbage bags, gloves, gas cards, food and other supplies to help the weekend go smoothly.

Dozens of volunteers also joined Tanner’s spring cleaning.

“It’s not just garbage, there’s needles and things like that. It’s not safe for kids to be walking, or people in general,” Shannon Zachidniak, the founder of Enviro Collective, said.

Zachidniak is just one of the many volunteers helping to clear away the mess of winter.

“There’s lots of people who care, and they’re out here cleaning,” she said.

Other residents of the area were left in awe of just how effective the first day of the cleanup went.

“I’m lost for words. I’m just so happy, and happy to be a part of this,” resident Deena Ryder said.

Although the main goal of the weekend is to get the garbage off the streets, Tanner said she’s hoping people will take away some tips to see improvements in the future.

“We want to try to educate people as we go as well, about proper recycling and not tossing their trash [where it doesn’t belong]” Tanner said.

The cleanup will be taking place throughout the Easter weekend, and anyone who wants to lend a hand is welcome to join.