Community effort to tidy Welland's streets
Project: Downtown to lead garbage clean up

YorkRegion.com
April 8, 2015
Steve Henschel

A clean downtown is a revitalized downtown.

Continuing its aim at revitalizing Welland’s core with community events aimed at bringing people downtown, Project: Downtown is setting its sights on the litter currently scattered on the area's streets.

On Saturday, Apr. 18, the grassroots community organization will host its third event, The Downtown Tidy, inviting residents to come out, clean up the streets and maybe even do some gardening.

“Every single planter on this street is filled with trash,” said organizer Amanda Deschenes, speaking in front of the Civic Square.

The group’s past two events, Bowling and Board Games at Hillside Lanes and Curling and Cocoa at the Welland Curling Club, were a success with more than 100 and 160 people respectively.

“The biggest goal is to heighten community spirit,” she said, explaining this event will engage citizens directly in that, and, as Deschenes hopes, create a sense of ownership in the city core.

“It develops a sense of pride and ownership,” she said. “I’m hoping people will leave that weekend and come back.”

With April 22 marking Earth Day, Deschenes said April is a fitting time, especially with the snow melting to reveal a winter’s worth of garbage.

“It’s the perfect opportunity,” said Deschenes, who is still hoping a local business will step up to sponsor lunch.

The Black Lantern Experience has already come on board as the partner business for the event. The local arts group is set to lead some participants in some guerilla gardening, cleaning up plots of green space and breathing in some new life. That effort will continue prior efforts in 2014 which saw the small park on the west side of the recreational canal just north of the Division Street Bridge cleaned up and revitalized with new gardens and garbage receptacles.

Those wishing to participate need only show up; tools and gloves will be provided courtesy of sponsorships from RONA Welland and the Welland Professional Firefighters Association.

Participants are asked to gather at 10 a.m. at the corner of Boardwalk and West Main Street just north of the Main Street Bridge. A rain date is set for April 19 at the same time.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/projectdowntownwelland, call 905-246-9010 or email projectdowntown@yahoo.ca.