With the slightly warming temperatures, many people might start to consider doing some cleaning up around the house and so Euclid and Collinwood will once again be facing off in a citywide spring-cleaning showdown. Related Articles Richmond Heights Police Department to expand bicycle patrol Sweets and Geeks to host its first Collectible Expo at Great Northern Mall Hospice of the Western Reserve receives $5M gift from ECHO Health Rally participants hoping for justice for Duke | Editorial Mayfield Heights mayor reflects during last year in office Now in its eighth year, The Big Clean registration period has opened for Euclid and Collinwood residents who want to don some gloves, grab trash bags and hit the streets collecting trash on April 26. Those volunteers will start the day between 9 and 10 a.m. by picking up their cleanup supply kits, which will have gloves, bags, pickers, and other flair from community organizations. In Euclid, supply pick-up will occur along Milton Drive in Memorial Park near the tennis courts. In the case of rain, supply pick-up will be inside C.E. Orr Ice Arena, 22550 Milton. For Collinwood residents, supply kits can be picked up at Waterloo Arts, 16500 Waterloo. Afterwords, according to Euclid Planning and Development Coordinator Christine McIntosh, people will take the collected trash back to the garbage bins at the C.E. Orr Ice Arena by noon to be tallied for the competition. Inside the center, there will be an “Eco-Fair,” which was added last year and has been continued due to its popularity. At the fair, McIntosh said people from a variety of organizations will have tables showcasing educational materials on ecology and the services they provide. Among the groups set to be on hand are Cleveland Water Department, and the Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability as well as the Euclid Shade Tree Commission, Friends of Euclid Creek, the Lake Shore Garden Club, among others. “We will have a raffle and raffle some prizes off to participants and then they can peruse all the tables at the Eco-Fair,” McIntosh said. “…there are a lot of resources that residents might not know of (like) how to recycle right and what the Solid Waste District manages. They are going to be present, so there’s just a lot of information.” This is some of the trash collected by Euclid during the Big Clean in 2024. (The News-Herald file) Last year, there were a total of 256 volunteers from both Euclid and Collinwood, who collected over 2 tons of trash. McIntosh said that Euclid is hoping to win this year, but in the end, it’s just a way to make things more fun for people. “I think everybody gets a big kick out of it,” McIntosh said. “Friendly competition never hurt things. Euclid usually has a little more participation so I think that has helped us come out on top for most of the years as far as the competition goes, but Collinwood has snuck in a couple wins. They might be a smaller but dedicated force, so we are looking forward to hopefully defending our title this year.” 2024 Big Clean participants walk in from the cold after collecting trash. (The News-Herald file) She said that if some people want to continue to do work outside of the Big Clean day, they can join up with many other local organizations. “And locally, you know, residents have the opportunity to get involved with Keep Euclid Beautiful, we sometimes have vacancies on Shade Tree Commission,” McIntosh said. “The Lake Shore Garden Club would probably love to have new members, so there is a ton of ways for people to get involved. So hopefully this is the first step for people. She said that many people find themselves noticing trash after participating in the Big Clean and then start to clean up the city during their free time, adding that she hopes the Big Clean is just one big step in the right direction. “A lot of times residents are just doing it on their own because they have community pride and they want to do something and they are not necessary seeking support or recognition for it,” McIntosh said. “They just take it upon themselves to clean up their neighborhood. So, we are hoping that’s infectious and that it can continue well after the Big Clean.” Those that want to participate in the Big Clean can register online at www.cityofeuclid.com/2025-big-clean. ...read more read less