Published in The BANAR June 2008
In the weeks leading up to the Spring Clean-up this year, my little four-year-old took to carrying home great bundles of discarded pop cans, old plastic bags and other miscellaneous litter he’d come across on his travels through the paths in Blackburn Hamlet. He kept telling me that the Spring Clean-up had to happen soon because we really needed it! I don’t think he was the only one doing his own part in advance of this year’s Spring Clean-up.
The annual event, held on May 10 this year was another great success— but this year it was different. While not as many participants were able to join us this year and we didn’t collect a “mountain” of litter, there was an overall sentiment that the Hamlet was cleaner this spring. The event had been postponed from the usual day in April, in light of the heavy snowfall this winter.
In all, there were about 140 participants and as usual we had many of our dedicated volunteers back to help, in so many ways— Corinne Campbell, Paula Rosenquist, Lynn Leduc and the BBQ team, Bill Smith, and Ken McEwen and his gang of helpers, and many others. Other support came from Councilor Rainer Bloess and his staff, who helped to MC the event and to provide many door prizes for participants. We also received four very generous gift certificates from Accessible Cash Payday Loans, a Montreal Road business owned and operated by local Blackburn Hamlet residents.
Another difference to this year’s event was the Graffiti-removal Kits. Through the direction of Laura Czekaj, several families helped in removing graffiti throughout the neighbourhood on the morning of the Clean-up. This is a positive enhancement to our repertoire and we look forward to offering it again next spring.
As well, this year was the first time that the Blackburn Community Association (BCA) hosted the Spring Clean-up in cooperation with our local Tim Hortons. Owners of the new coffee shop, Shelley and Howard White, not only provided complimentary coffee and donuts, but they were also on hand to meet the community residents that came to help with the clean-up. We also learned that this particular Tim Hortons is working hard to keep our community tidy on a daily basis. Each day, a team from the Tim Hortons staff goes out 4 to 6 times to do a sweep of the local area to keep it free from debris and litter.
Thanks to each and every one of you who took the time to help clean up the Hamlet this spring. I think we can see a difference from year to year, since our mountain of litter keeps shrinking as everyone pitches in all year long.