From left to right: Azka, Shianna, Claire (Crew Leader), Kiah, Veron, Chris
Downtown Halifax Business Commission’s (DHBC) Downtown Halifax Crew is back on the streets for the summer. This group of six dedicated university students, clad in blue shirts and ballcaps (and often seen wielding brooms and dustbins), help keep Downtown Halifax clean throughout the summer months.
But that’s not all they do. The Crew acts as Downtown Halifax ambassadors for both members and visitors. Here are some of the services they provide:
- Tourist information to local and area visitors
- Distribution of marketing and promotional materials to DHBC members
- Litter removal
- Painting of street amenities as needed (e.g., picnic tables, benches, etc.)
- Poster removal from kiosks, pole-collars, lamp posts and other hard surface areas
- Weed maintenance and removal
- Graffiti reporting and removal assistance
- Picnic table maintenance
- Assistance with maintaining the cleanliness of high-traffic areas during festival and events
- Reporting damaged infrastructure, vandalism, and other pertinent safety issues to 311
And here are some interesting things the Crew would like you to know:
- Cigarette butts are litter! Every summer, the Crew removes over a half a million cigarette butts from the streets of Downtown Halifax.
- They will gladly direct you to the nearest garbage receptacle when asked.
- They cannot address social issues but will share any concerns regarding street-involved or homeless individuals with Luca Goltz, Program Coordinator of the Navigator Outreach Program.
- And finally, they are DHBC employees! They are not volunteers or performing community service work.
The Downtown Halifax Crew is on duty from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Wednesdays to Sundays (including any holidays that fall on those days), until August 25.
If you would like to learn more about the Downtown Halifax Crew and what they do, please contact Jonathan Goldson, Placemaking Manager (jonathan@downtownhalifax.ca), or say ‘Hi!’ to a Crew member. They would love to chat with you!