Thanks to an early cold snap and windy conditions, most of the leaves in the area are on the ground...but hopefully not for long. City crews are already vacuuming up leaves in the Great Falls boulevard district.

They started this morning with upper North Side avenues, and will move on to streets in that area tomorrow.

The pickup is scheduled to run through November 20th, but snow rain and wind can slow things down.

"We go up one side of the street, and by the time we go back down the other side, that side has blown over to the other side,” said City Forester Todd Seymanski. “But we do allow a little extra time in case of snow and rain to slow us up."

Seymanski offers a few tips to keep the pickup running smoothly: keep leaves on the boulevard area, out of the street to keep them dry. Leave sticks and garden debris out of leaf piles, the vacuum truck only picks up leaves. And finally, move vehicles out of the way on pickup days.

For more information call 771-1265 if you live in the boulevard district. Other residents should call the City Sanitation Department at 771-1401.

2009 LEAF PICK-UP SCHEDULE:
(from the City of Great Falls website)

Area 1 (Upper Northside)
Monday, October 26
Tuesday, October 27 (Avenues)
Central Avenue to 5th Avenue North
From 23rd Street North to 38th Street North
Wednesday, October 28
Thursday, October 29 (Streets)
23rd Street North to 38th Street North
From Central Avenue to 5th Avenue North

Area 2 (Northside)
Friday, October 30
Monday, November 2 (Avenues)
Central Avenue to 8th Avenue North
From 15th Street North to 23rd Street North
Tuesday, November 3
Wednesday, November 4 (Streets)
15th Street North to 23rd Street North
From Central Avenue to 8th Avenue North

Area 3 (Lower Northside)
Thursday, November 5
Friday, November 6 (Avenues)
Central Avenue to 8th Avenue North
From Park Drive to 15th Street North
Monday, November 9
Tuesday, November 10 (Streets)
Park Drive to 15th Street North
From Central Avenue to 8th Avenue North

Area 4 (Lower Southside)
Thursday, November 12
Friday, November 13 (Avenues)
Central Avenue to 9th Avenue South
From 2nd Street South to 13th Street South
Monday, November 16
Tuesday, November 17 (Streets)
2nd Street South to 13th Street South
From Central Avenue to 9th Avenue South

Area 5 (Westside)
Wednesday, November 18
Thursday, November 19 (Avenues and Streets)
Central Avenue West to 4th Avenue SW
From 3rd Street SW to 11th Street SW

Area 6 (Great Falls High School)
Friday, November 20 (Avenues and Streets)
Central Avenue to 3rd Avenue South
From 15th Street South to 23rd Street South