More than 2,000 Calgarians descended on the city’s pathways and riverbanks yesterday to clean litter from the city’s green space.
The 43rd annual Pathway and River Cleanup sought to cover about 200 kilometres of pathway along the Bow and Elbow rivers, Nose Creek and Glenmore Reservoir.
City of Calgary Parks orchestrated 87 groups to participate in the project.
Businesses, non-profit organizations, environmental, cultural and church groups, community associations and casual groups of friends joined in.
A group of nine from Policy Works in Kensington cleaned between Edmonton Trail and the LRT crossing on Memorial Drive.
Justin Siemens, the leader of the group, said most of the employees use the pathway system to get to work.
“I’m a pathway commuter. It would be nice if more people were,” he said.
“The cleaner we can make it, the nicer it is for people to be down here and the more people will use it.”
The Inglewood Community Organization has held a barbecue afterwards for the past seven years.
Liz Tompkins, the group leader, said the cleanup is “a great way for the neighbours to gather while teaching our kids about the value of community stewardship.”
City of Calgary Parks spokesperson Corinna Baxter said the event not only serves to clean the pathways, but promotes the need to keep them clean year-round.
A pair of fuzzy handcuffs won a contest for most unusual item found.
Last year’s winner, a stolen motorcycle stripped of parts, was traced to its owner, but the handcuffs will hopefully remain anonymous.
Litter
Since 2005, 37,392 kilograms of litter have been cleaned from the city’s green space in the annual Pathway and River Cleanup.
