Downtown sidewalks and alleys may be a little cleaner this summer thanks to a new piece of equipment purchased by the City of Windsor.
The Glutton Zen Sweeper is an electric vacuum designed for sidewalks to pick up trash, cigarette butts, and other debris.
"We run a fleet of curbside street sweepers, we're very good at that, this is a natural progression for us to get onto the sidewalks, the alleys, the trails and really start enhancing some of the cleaning here," said Jim Leether, senior manager of environmental services with the City of Windsor.
The city purchased one of the silent, emission-free machine as part of a pilot project to clean up the DWBIA area. After the initial deployment, a report will go to city council and the program could extend to other BIAs in the city.
“The long-term success of our downtown depends on more people choosing to live here, and that means creating a clean, safe, and welcoming environment every day. The deployment of the Glutton® Zen® sweeper is a visible step forward — one that supports a higher quality of life for current residents and helps attract new ones," said Chris MacLeod, Chair of Downtown Windsor BIA Board of Directors. "As more people call the core home, our downtown businesses benefit from increased foot traffic, stronger community connections, and a more vibrant local economy. It’s all part of our broader vision under Strengthen the Core to make downtown Windsor not just a place to visit but a place to thrive.”
The machine can run for up to 10 hours on one charge. No additional staff were needed for the pilot program.