Adopt-a-Program

Adopt-a-Program is a volunteer-based program where Township residents choose a street, park, trail, or creek to adopt and commit to cleaning the litter from that area for a set period of time or as a one-time event. If you enjoy the outdoors and are interested in becoming an environmental steward in your neighbourhood, this is the Program for you!

Please allow up to three weeks for applications to be processed.

Choose a program

Adopt-a-Street	Adopt-a-Park	Adopt-a-Trail	Adopt-a-Creek	Adopt-a-Catch Basin

Select at least 0.4 km of municipal roadway (both sides of street). Clean once a month.	Select a municipal park (school grounds & regional parks not part of Program). Clean once a month.	Select at least one (1) km of municipal trail path (regional park trails are not part of this program). Clean once a month.	Conduct streamside clean ups (involves additional guidelines). Four times per year.	Select up to six catch basins to keep clear. Learn more.

Adopt-a-Street

Adopt-a-Park

Adopt-a-Trail

Adopt-a-Creek

Adopt-a-Catch Basin

Select at least 0.4 km of municipal roadway (both sides of street).

Clean once a month.

Select a municipal park (school grounds & regional parks not part of Program).

Clean once a month.

Select at least one (1) km of municipal trail path (regional park trails are not part of this program).

Clean once a month.

Conduct streamside clean ups (involves additional guidelines).

Four times per year.

Select up to six catch basins to keep clear.

Learn more.

Is Adopt-a-Program the right Program for you?

Check out our Program Guidelines and our Guide to Safe Litter Clean Up for more details about participation commitments.

Adopt-a-Program also offers one-time cleanup events for individuals and groups that are interested in hosting a single cleanup event.

How to Apply

To adopt a catch basin, click here. To adopt a street, park, trail, or creek, check the Adoption Map to see if the area you would like to adopt is available for adoption. The adoption map shows what streets, parks, trails, and creeks are available for adoption. The areas highlighted in blue are currently adopted.
Once you have found an available area you would like to adopt or hold a one-time clean up at, click on and fill out the application below. Please note: Applications for one-time cleanups must be submitted at least three weeks before the day of the event.
Please allow up to three weeks for your application to be processed. If you have any questions email adopt@tol.ca.

Adopt-a-Program Application

Clean Up Report

Once a cleanup has been completed, we request that you submit an online clean up report. The report lets us know how much and what type of material is being collected, which helps to improve waste management programs in Township. The reports also provide a means for you to request garbage pick up, report anything unusual and let us know you are still active in the program.

Clean up report

Supply Request

Adopt-a-Program supports volunteers by providing them with the necessary cleanup supplies for their route. Cleanup supplies include pickers (1 per 2-3 people), vests, gloves, and litter bags.

Please allow up to three weeks for a response.

Request additional supplies

Participant Resources

Guide to Safe Litter Cleanup

Who is the contact and what is their role?

Determine a representative from your group to be the contact person.

The contact person is responsible for submitting all required documentation and serves as the liaison between the Township and any volunteers represented. The contact is also responsible for reminding volunteers to use good judgment and safe practice during clean up activities. The items in this guide should be discussed with the group prior to each clean up event.

Remember: safety first! Under no circumstance is the welfare of a participant to be compromised during cleanup activities.

General Safety Tips

Avoid horseplay while working.
Keep an adequate supply of water.
Report your cleanup activities to your program coordinator as indicated on the Clean Up Report
form. Include significant irregularities and report injuries immediately.
Always wear the safety vests provided or other high-visibility clothing.
Do not use alcohol or drugs while working. Smoking and vaping are not permitted during cleanups.
Participants should wear suitable footwear – boots or closed-toe shoes.
Dress appropriately for the weather (sunscreen, hat, warm gloves, etc.).
Avoid use of headphones/earbuds or restrictive clothing.

Working on Streets

Work on one side of the street at a time.
Pick up litter walking against traffic. This ensures all volunteers are facing oncoming traffic and are aware of dangers.
Leave garbage bags at each Adopt-a-Program sign, if possible. If bags are too heavy, leave them at the location where filled.

How to handle different materials

Hazardous & Bio-hazardous items (syringes, chemicals, roadkill, etc.)	Volunteers must not handle hazardous litter. Objects containing corrosive chemicals (e.g. car batteries) or objects that bio-hazard items – used condoms, diapers, gloves, face masks, tissues and wipes may carry harmful bacteria or disease (e.g. dead animals, syringes, etc.) should not be touched. Flag the location where items are found and report for pickup using the online Clean Up Report form or by calling the Township of Langley.
Broken glass and other sharp items	Dangerous refuse such as broken glass or other sharp objects must be handled carefully to avoid injury. Litter pickers are provided for this purpose. If you choose to pick up dangerous items, it is a good idea to designate one person to handle such items with a litter picker, especially if children work in your group. Put broken or sharp objects in a rigid container or wrap in paper before putting in the bag.
Large and heavy items	Do not lift large or heavy items. Instead make note of the location and report for pickup using the online Clean Up Report form or by calling the Township of Langley.
Recyclables	If clean (not full of dirt or liquid), recyclables such as bottles and cans can be separated and placed in the blue box or returned to a Recycling Depot for recycling. If the item is too dirty, it must be disposed of as garbage.

How do I dispose of the garbage I collect?

Place at curb on collection day: If you receive municipal garbage pick up, you can put garbage from your cleanup in the provided orange or yellow bag and place it beside your garbage cart on your collection day.

Fill out a clean up report: If you do not receive municipal garbage collection OR you are unable to transport the you litter collected, you can request a pick up by filling out an online Clean Up Report or by calling 604-532-7300. Make sure that the waste is left in a visible location by the road (not blocking or impeding traffic or sight lines) and that it is in the provided orange or yellow bags.

Emergencies

Keep a cell phone handy or know where the nearest phone is.
Have transportation available.
Know the quickest route to the nearest hospital in case of a serious injury.

In the event of an emergency	9-1-1
Needle pick up	604-812-5277
To report an environmental spill	1-800-663-3456
Adopt-a-Program information and sign requests	604-532-7300 adopt@tol.ca
Illegal dumping, hazardous waste pick up, and other Township inquiries	604-532-7300 opsinfo@tol.ca

Safety checklist

Discuss the cleanup route.
Take note of any areas of concern or potential danger, such as high traffic areas or locations where there is limited vision of approaching traffic.
Supervise minors.
Ensure a responsible adult is present to supervise minors.
Prepare your materials.
Make sure you have all tools and materials required to complete your task safely and efficiently. Check that your equipment is in good working condition.
Review safety instructions with participants:

- Watch for vehicles and bicycles.
  Drivers may not expect to see volunteers working; participants should watch for approaching vehicles.
- Obey traffic regulations.
  Volunteers should obey all signals and traffic lights and use intersections and marked crosswalks, where available.
- Handle dangerous refuse carefully.
  See table below for further reporting.
- Never reach blindly to pick up an item.
  Use a tool or stick to identify the item before picking it up.
- Work in pairs if possible.
  Working in pairs is safer than working alone as it allows volunteers to look out for each other.

Mowing and Brushwacking Map

A map was created to help Adopt-a-Program volunteers see when boulevards and ditches along their adopted streets are scheduled for mowing or brushwacking. This can help volunteers place their cleanups before mowing or brushwacking occurs to avoid litter being cut into smaller pieces. Active mowing areas are usually completed within 3 to 5 business days while active brushwacking areas are usually completed within 20 to 30 days.

Program Guidelines

Participation Requirements

Participants must review and follow current program guidelines, including those contained in the “Guide to Safe Litter Cleanup” document included in the participant package.
Participants must sign an Authorized Township of Langley Volunteer Partial Waiver and Release of Rights prior to being accepted into the program.
Participants must reside or have a valid business license in the Township of Langley.
Participants must report their required number of cleanups on a monthly basis (those who fail to report can be removed from the program without notice).

Commitment With Sign

(Adopt-a-Street) Participants must clean both sides of the street section adopted (Exception—where two groups have co-adopted a street and have each agreed to do one side).
Number of cleanups per month:
- Street, trail and park—minimum of one cleanup per month
- Creek—minimum of four cleanups per year
Street adoptions must be a minimum of 0.4km in length (two blocks).
Participants must commit to the program for a minimum of two years.
Participants must strive to keep their adopted area free of visible litter.

Commitment Without Sign

Participants can participate in one-time cleanups
Participants may clean an area of any length
Participants may choose to clean an area less frequently than the minimum requirements
Participants may vary their cleanup area.

Number of Adoptions Allowed

The number of Adoptions a volunteer can have initially is limited to one.
After 2 years if a consistent history of cleanup reports have been submitted, a business, individual, or family may apply to adopt a second area, at the Township’s discretion.
The total number of Adoptions an individual or family can have is limited to two.
The total number of Adoptions an organization, company, or business can have is limited to three.
Additional adoptions may be considered for larger groups, with proof that the existing commitments have been met.
Sharing of an adopted area may be allowed if the pre-existing volunteer agrees. A maximum of 2 groups may adopt the same area at a time. No changes will be made to the existing volunteer recognition sign(s), though additional sign(s) may be added to the same pole for the new volunteer. There is no requirement to coordinate cleanups.

Volunteer Appreciation (Recognition Signs)

Recognition signs may be installed to indicate an area has been adopted by a volunteer that has demonstrated a long-term commitment to keeping that area clean.

Recognition signs may be issued after a dedicated commitment of a at least 6 months of regular cleanups has been shown. (For example, 6 Clean up Reports have been received by and to the satisfaction of the Adopt-a-Program coordinator). After this time, the volunteer may apply to the Adopt Coordinator for their recognition sign to be installed. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to notify the Program Coordinator upon completion of the required number of cleanups.
Submission of minimum requirements for recognition signage does not guarantee the sign will be installed. The Township reserves the right to determine final placement of signs, as well as whether to install a sign at all. Volunteers may instead be recognized in other ways.
Signs will remain in place for the duration of the adoption period. If a group chooses to withdraw, or is removed from the program, their sign will be removed and may be replaced with an “Up for Adoption” sign.
If a recognition sign is vandalized, the Township will attempt to repair, replace, or relocate the sign in a timely manner. If signs continue to be vandalized, the Township may decide to remove the sign temporarily.

Signs installed for participants in Adopt-a-Program will adhere to the following

In the case of an individual or family that has adopted a street, trail, park, or creek, only the individual’s legal name, or legal family name, will be displayed on the sign (e.g., The Wilson’s)
In the case of an organization, company, or business that has adopted a street, trail, park, or creek, only the registered legal name of the organization, company, or business will be displayed on the sign. Logos and websites are not permitted on Adopt-a-Program recognition signs.
Proof of legal name will be required prior to a sign being made and installed.
Signs will adhere to design elements (e.g., colours, fonts, size, etc.) determined by the Adopt-a-Program, and, will be installed in compliance with the Township of Langley Sign Bylaw 2012 No. 4927, and, Highway and Traffic Bylaw 2010 No. 4758, as amended or replaced from time to time.
Placement and location of the sign is at the full discretion of the Roads Department.

Number of signs

One (1) recognition sign per adoption may be installed for adoptions of streets, trails, and parks. Adopt-a-Creek adoptions will be assessed by the Adopt-a-Program coordinator on an individual basis and signs may or may not be issued. If a sign is deemed not appropriate for the creek section adoption, another form of recognition may be issued instead.

General

The Township reserves the right to modify the guidelines for the Adopt-a-Program at any time.
The Township reserves the right to deny or cancel participation in the Adopt-a-Program at any time. Decisions regarding participation will be made by the Adopt-a-Program coordinator, acting reasonably, and will be based on consideration of the following:
- A participant’s non-compliance with the program guidelines;
- An excess number of applications for participation in the program;
- Staff time and/or costs in administering the program; and/or
- Other factors reasonably reflecting the Township’s operations needs or interests in administering the program.