Cornwall Cleanup Day

Cornwall residents and companies will be urged to spend a day cleaning up the community on Saturday, April 25. “After the winter snow melts, litter is evident in many parts of the community, especially parking lots, sidewalks and roadways,” said Mayor Bob Kilger. “We can all play our part by pitching in to pick up garbage”.

The Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce has agreed to encourage its members to participate as a team challenge, as this problem is often most noticeable on commercial properties. “We expect our members to get behind this event and make it a fun event,” said Scott Armstrong, president of the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce.

Residents or companies alike can register their “team” online at the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce website, www.CornwallChamber.com, or in person at the chamber office. Additional information on Cornwall Cleanup Day is also available on the website. Teams can choose a project, such as cleaning the sides of a particular roadway, cleaning a neighbourhood park, or cleaning a parking lot. Participating teams will be eligible for prizes.

The City will be participating by purchasing 200 composters to give away as prizes in the Cornwall Cleanup Day program. Each composter will help to divert organic waste from the landfill.

Two groups are already planning on taking on the Cornwall Cleanup Challenge. Employees from Cornwall’s Parks Canada office will be cleaning up the waterfront from St. Lawrence College to the canal on Earth Day, Wednesday April 22. “We started cleaning up the waterfront in 2006 and each year our efforts have grown, both in terms of participants and the area we clean up,” said Pat Clarke, an employee with Parks Canada. “It is our way of making a contribution to the city we live and work in.”

Mr. Clarke invites any interested citizens to join his team at the Civic Complex at 12:30 p.m. on April 22. Garbage bags, plastic gloves and drinking water will be supplied.

Employees from the St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences will clean up the waterfront area around their office and St. Lawrence College on Earth Day as well.

The Cleanup Day initiative is just one of many “green” initiatives happening in Cornwall this spring: • Spring Pickup of Leaf and Yard Waste (April 20 to May 15) • Earth Day (tree plantings and other events (April 22) • Communities in Bloom (April, May, June)

About Earth Day

Earth Day is April 22 every year, all around the world. Earth Day has grown so much that celebrations take place throughout the whole month of April, also known as Earth Month. It is estimated that more than 6 million Canadians join 500 million people in over 180 countries in staging events and projects to address local environmental issues. Nearly every school child in Canada takes part in an Earth Day activity.