Hundreds to take part in Cleaning from the Corridor
Julie Happy, 509.625.7773, jhappy@spokanecity.org
Friday, April 8, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.
Hundreds of volunteers will fill the East Sprague area for two days this April for Cleaning from the Corridor (CFTC). Volunteers will be cleaning, painting, picking up trash, creating art murals and planting along the East Sprague Business Corridor between Perry and Lee Streets and in the neighborhood south of Sprague to I-90 on Saturday, April 23, with some prep volunteer opportunities on April 16.
The event is part of Spokane Gives Month, a community-wide initiative designed to encourage year-round volunteerism.
The goal of Cleaning from the Corridor (formerly Cleaning from the Core) is to create temporary projects as well as projects that leave a lasting impression for people who live, work, and visit the East Sprague Corridor. The focus of CFTC has been changed this year to create an event that incorporates placemaking, community, clean-up and collaboration in the East Sprague Target Investment Pilot (TIP) area. The area is set to undergo significant changes in coming years, including pedestrian and business-friendly street infrastructure improvements in 2017.
CFTC is possible each year thanks to the help of approximately 400 volunteers. The City’s Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) organizes and mobilizes those volunteers.
To register as a volunteer for CFTC, visit VolunteerSpokane.org
Local businesses, organizations, and schools are also taking part in CFTC. On Saturday, April 23, a temporary park plaza will be set up featuring ping pong tables built by Pride Prep students, human-scale games set up by Spokane Sidewalk Games, and local vendors including Spokane Vintage Prints, Great PNW and Winterwoods Tea Company. Pop-up businesses will fill vacant spaces for the day including Annie’s Ice Cream and Hustle & Hide. Live music will be playing from Bennidito’s parking lot and businesses will have their doors open for visitors. Visitors can also enjoy a temporary parklet set up by You Express Studio (YES) outside The Ivory Table restaurant! Existing businesses along the corridor will be open and ready for visitors; some may be offering deals as part of the event. The Historic Preservation Office will also be leading groups on historic walking tours of the area to learn about the past of one of Spokane’s oldest business districts.
CFTC volunteer activities will be held in the morning from 8 a.m. to noon on April 23. For the rest of the afternoon (Noon-5 p.m.), volunteers and the public are invited to come and experience the East Sprague area and the placemaking that is created from the volunteer work. Prep volunteer projects on April 16 will take place from 8 a.m. to Noon.
