River Cleanup Day

The disappearance of our snow and ice unfortunately reveals a season's worth of litter on the riverbanks. However, something can be done about it. I have just found out that on the day before Mother's Day—Saturday, May 7th—the banks of the Rideau River in our neighbourhood will be cleaned up by a team of volunteers. Anyone may join in: the meeting point is the Fieldhouse at 193 Stanley Avenue (where the annual Crichton Community Council plant sale will also be taking place). Work will begin at 10 a.m. on that day and finish at 1 p.m., the noble volunteers armed with "garbage and recycle bags" and wearing thick work gloves, a very necessary protection from the discarded drug-needles which are often found during these endeavours. The event is being organised by the New Edinburgh Community Association whose representatives will be on hand with coffee, juice and snacks to keep the cleanup teams "energized." These people also publish the free paper, the New Edinburgh News, my source of information for this blogpost.