21st annual Earth Week Clean Up of Nature Sites in Oakville
The 21st annual Earth Week Clean Up on Saturday, April 21, 2012
is organized by the:
Oakville Community Centre
for Peace, Ecology and Human Rights (OCCPEHR)
P.O. Box 52007, Oakville, ON L6J 7N5
(905) 849-5501, info@oakvillepeacecentre.org
www.oakvillepeacecentre.org
CLEAN UP TO PRESERVE OAKVILLE’S BIODIVERSITY DURING EARTH WEEK
“Clean up our trails, parks, ravines and shores of waterways this Earth Week with your family, friends and neighbours on Saturday, April 21 from 9 am to 11 am,†exclaimed Stephen Dankowich, executive director of the Oakville Community Centre for Peace, Ecology and Human Rights which is the organizer of the 21st annual Earth Week Clean Up of Nature Sites in Oakville.
“Our beautiful local natural environment needs your attention. Everyone should be concerned about nature, littering and the need to protect Oakville’s biodiversity. Pitch in at one of thirty-three nature sites or set up a new clean up location near where you live. Garbage bags and gloves will be delivered to you. The event will take place rain or shine,†he stated.
A LIST OF THE THIRTY THREE CLEAN UP SITES
“Here is a list of the 33 Oakville nature sites designated for clean up in 2012,†confirmed Mr. Dankowich.
In South West Oakville, there are four locations:
1. Clean up at WOODHAVEN PARK on Hixon Street.
2. For the Bronte Harbour clean up, meet at BRONTE BLUFFS PARK on West River Street.
3. LAKESHORE WOODS gets a great attendance every year; meet at the “round†located at Creekpath Avenue and Great Lakes Boulevard; youth from the Harvest Bible Chapel will be joining in here.
4. Councillor Pam Damoff welcomes you to BROOK VALLEY PARK along Warminster Drive.
In South Central Oakville, there are five locations:
1. The West River Residents Association is greeting volunteers at the top of the stairs of the bridge on Queen Mary Drive to clean up the Sixteen Mile Creek at HOGS BACK PARK.
2. Members of St. Jude’s Anglican Church are cleaning up TANNER PARK on the lakefront at Chisholm Street and Walker Street.
3. Residents can join the West Kerr Village Residents Association at TRAFALGAR PARK on Deane Avenue.
4. Pitch in along PINE AVENUE.
5. An exciting new addition to the 2012 Earth Week Clean Up will be the contribution made by Charterability.com which provides free boat rides on the Sixteen Mile Creek for seniors and people with disabilities; members and supporters will gather under the REBECCA STREET BRIDGE.
In South East Oakville, there are two locations:
1. Clean up DUNVEGAN PARK on Cornwall Road behind Maple Grove Village.
2. The Clearview Oakville Community Alliance invites you to join their extensive clean up at CLEARVIEW PARK and then enjoy a barbequed hot dog and refreshment.
In North West Oakville, there are nine locations:
1. Receive your Pitch-In Canada bags from the Friends of Bronte Creek Park when you enter BRONTE CREEK PROVINCIAL PARK off of Burloak Drive.
2. For those living around LOYOLA SECONDARY SCHOOL, you can gather at ALDERCREST PARK near Blackthorn Place to clean up the trails along Taplow Creek.
3. At MONASTERY DRIVE NEAR THE PLAZA, join the clean up of the Glen Oak Creek Trail beginning near Birchcliff Drive.
4. Around the DORVAL MALL AND NORTH SERVICE ROAD area, please meet on Lindsay Drive and join employees from sponsor Staples who will be cleaning up INDIAN RIDGE TRAIL in an effort coordinated by the South Peel Naturalists’ Club.
5. People living in Glen Abbey South can join Oakvillegreen at NOTTINGHILL GATE PARK for a fun clean up of trails along the Taplow, Glen Oak and McCraney Creeks.
6. Trails and ravines will be cleaned up at SANDPIPER ROAD AND PHEASANT LANE.
7. Concerned citizens will meet at FOURTH LINE AND UPPER MIDDLE ROAD.
8. ARBOURVIEW PARK AND TRAILS will be tidied up.
9. The beautiful WOODGATE WOODS is also scheduled for clean up.
In North Central Oakville, there are four locations:
1. RIVER GLEN BOULEVARD residents can clean up the beautiful Shannon Creek Trails by meeting at the Parkette between Marlatt Drive and Callaghan Crescent.
2. To clean up OAKVILLE PARK, meet in the White Oaks Secondary North parking lot on McCraney Street East.
3. To clean up around West Oak Trails Boulevard, meet at 16 HOLLOW PARK.
4. Clean up the green spaces around TRAFALGAR ROAD AND RIVER OAKS BOULEVARD EAST down to Upper Middle Road and west to Oak Springs Road.
In North East Oakville, there are nine locations:
1. People living around the GLENASHTON DRIVE BRIDGE can join members of the Trafalgar Presbyterian Church and the Oakville 99 Girls Soccer Team to clean up Morrison Valley North.
2. At ALGROVE PARK, join Councillor Tom Adams in cleaning up this section of Morrison Valley South at White Oaks Boulevard near Town Hall.
3. Residents of RAVINEVIEW WAY AND PONDVIEW PLACE will meet at the Brownstone condominiums to clean up the ravine and around the pond.
4. SHERIDAN VALLEY PARK citizens will clean up their gorgeous trails beginning off of Grand Boulevard at Livingston Road.
5. The historic IROQUOIS SHORELINE WOODS at Upper Middle Road and Grand Boulevard needs your assistance; this is the site of how far Lake Ontario once extended!
6. GOLDEN MEADOW PARK will be attended by staff and students from Iroquois Ridge High School.
7. The clean up of Joshua Creek Trails finds neighbours meeting on ARROWHEAD ROAD AT MEADOWRIDGE DRIVE.
8. Coordinators of the clean up at POSTRIDGE PARK located at Postridge Drive and North Ridge Trail will tidy up the green spaces behind the Dundas Street stores too.
9. There also will be a clean up around WOODINGTON LANE.
BENEFITS OF THE ANNUAL CLEAN UP
“Oakville residents and students have responded really well to this event which is the largest community-wide clean up in Canada during Earth Week according to Earth Day Canada,†remarked Joe Di Paolo, a board member.
“Over the years, it is estimated that 64,000 students and citizens have helped out. The annual Clean Up encourages people to take care of their own neighbourhood and it has contributed to building community by bringing people together in the pursuit of an environmentally sustainable community. In addition, it saves tens of thousands of dollars a year for the local taxpayer,†he stated.
“The Clean Up campaign promotes awareness and respect for local nature and our trails, parks and waterways. We are beautifying the local natural environment, protecting wildlife and benefiting people’s health while encouraging environmental activism in our schools and throughout our community,†he noted.
“The Clean Up is a family activity that will be remembered for years to come. By participating, parents will educate their children about the importance of the natural environment,†said Mr. Di Paolo.
SAFETY IS ISSUE #1
“Safety is our primary concern at the Earth Week Clean Up,†stated executive assistant Paul Dankowich. “We provide work gloves and garbage bags donated by the Town of Oakville. Please consider bringing your own pick-up stick, rake, broom, wheelbarrow and shovel,†he suggested.
“Volunteers should read our safety-first reminders available at each of our thirty-three nature sites before starting their clean up and should constantly assess their site for any potential hazards while cleaning up. Also, children are advised not to pick up any dangerous items like broken glass, used syringes or twisted metal pieces. All volunteers should be very wary of cleaning up along the sides of roads, highways or around parked cars,†remarked Mr. Paul Dankowich who is also the coordinator at Dunvegan Park.
“Get assistance when lifting or carrying heavy or bulky items and wear work boots if possible. Wash your hands thoroughly before eating anything while cleaning up and afterwards. Please bring your own snacks and refreshments in reusable containers in order to be as environmentally-friendly as possible,†he noted.
TWELVE SCHOOLS ARE INVOLVED TOO
“We are thrilled that twelve Oakville schools are sponsoring this year’s community-wide clean up. These schools include Abbey Lane Public, Dearcroft-Westwind Montessori, Gladys Speers Public, Iroquois Ridge High, St. Joan of Arc Elementary, Joshua Creek Public, Maple Grove Public, Oakwood Public, Our Lady of Peace Elementary, Pope John Paul II Elementary, St. Ignacius of Loyola Secondary and St. Luke Elementary,†said Stephen Dankowich.
THANK YOU FOR CARING
“Thank you for taking the time to help with our annual clean up of some of Oakville’s most beautiful green spaces,†noted Mr. Di Paolo. “The Clean Up will allow everyone to enjoy garbage-free parks and trails this spring and summer. The environment is everyone’s responsibility and we can all do much more to better protect and enhance nature,†he explained.
“We are very grateful for the financial support of eighty local sponsors who have been assisting us for these many years of organizing the clean up. Visit our website at www.oakvillepeacecentre.org to review a list of our sponsors,†he said.
“Let’s make a big difference for biodiversity, the natural environment, our health and our community by participating in the 21st annual Earth Week Clean Up Campaign,†concluded Mr. Di Paolo.
For more information, please contact the Oakville Community Centre for Peace, Ecology and Human Rights at (905) 849-5501, by e-mail at info@oakvillepeacecentre.org or by writing to P.O. Box 52007, Oakville L6J 7N5. Please visit the website at www.oakvillepeacecentre.org for more details.