The annual clean-up day has been growing each year, proving that Riverview really cares about the environment

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"This is our ninth Annual Clean-up Day," says Paulette Tingley, Riverview's Youth and Community Co-ordinator. "It's a real community effort. The schools are all involved, and they do their clean-ups during the week, usually in their own and surrounding properties."

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Earth Day was officially on April 22, but for practical reasons, the municipal day is April 26. Riverview used to hold their clean-up in May, but moved it to April to tie it into Earth Day.

This is clean-up on a grand scale, involving schools, the Sea Cadets, and private citizens. Westmorland-Albert Solid Waste Corporation donates green and blue bags, the Superstore donates food for the 'thank-you' barbecue, and this year the Knights of Columbus are doing the cooking.

"This year we're based out of the Dan Bohan Centre parking lot," Paulette explains. "People can come, register, and pick up bags and gloves from 10 a.m. until noon. We scout out areas that need attention, and assign people to each one. We have our trucks driving around to pick up full bags at agreed upon sites around town."

The Parks and Recreation staff is also out there helping with the clean-up. Cans, bottles, paper, any kind of litter is picked up, unless it appears that it might pose a threat of some kind. In that case, the appropriate organization is contacted to dispose of the suspect substance or item.

Then at noon, back at the Dan Bohan parking lot, the barbecues are fired up, and volunteers can eat, compare notes on their experiences, and see who wins the draw for this year.

"The Downtown Riverview Business Association passes on information about Clean-up Day to all the local businesses," expands Paulette. "And they donate the draw prize. This year's looks very interesting.

"There are rechargeable batteries, blue bags, energy-saving light bulbs, and a Three-in-One Crank Light, which is a combination radio and flashlight that runs when you crank it up."

More and more people are becoming involved in the Annual Clean-up Day, and new faces are always welcome. If you're wondering whether the effort really makes a difference, Paulette's answer is, that, yes, it does.

"Two years ago I took before and after pictures, and you can really see the difference," she says. "It looks so nice and fresh when we're done. After a winter like this, you'll really notice, because somehow the more snow there is, the more litter we leave lying around.

"At least some of it is preventable I think, if people would take more care. And the river area is usually the worst. Nine years ago, that was the only area we cleaned up."

Riverview also has a day for picking up large items from residences. This year, during the last week of May, residents can put large items out for curbside pick-up on their regular garbage collection day.

As to Clean-up Day on April 26, come out and get involved.

"We have pop-up shelters for the barbecue if it rains," says Paulette. "This is a rain or shine event."