EASTERN SUBURBS – Local volunteers gave their time this past weekend to clean up around their communities for Earth Day.
A cleanup organized by the Fayetteville Parks Commission invited people to tidy up the village’s parks and remove trash found in and near some of its waterways. The event was meant to make those sections of the village safer and more welcoming for visitors in time for spring and summer enjoyment.
The Fayetteville cleanup, which lasted from 9 to 11 a.m., brought helpers to Canal Landing Park off Limestone Plaza as the main gathering spot with other stations at Beard Park, Coulter Park, Feeder Canal and Ledyard Canal.
“We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful area with so many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors,” Mayor Mark Olson said. “Our parks and waterways are enjoyed by thousands of residents and visitors annually.”
Dave Cassel, a member of the parks commission, said he appreciated the weather that endured through the morning on April 22.
“It’s a nice day to be outside,” said Cassel, a garbage bag in one hand and a grabbing tool in the other. “It’s beautiful…low 60s and no rain, plus a little bit of sun.”
He said keeping parts of the village clean inspires others to do the same.
“When people see garbage they’re more likely to not care because when something isn’t nice they’re more likely to just say ‘whatever,’” Cassel said. “When it is clean and they see that there’s a community that cares, they’re more likely to hold themselves accountable and want to do the right thing.”
Light refreshments were served during the Fayetteville-wide cleanup, and it was registered as a Canal Clean Sweep through the New York State Canal Corporation and Parks & Trails New York. “The history of the village and our connection to the Erie Canal are aspects of village life that make it such a wonderful place to live,” said Mark Miller, the chair of the all-volunteer parks commission. “We’re committed to keeping the waterways in our area clean for recreation and to maintain the health of the unique ecosystem.”
On Saturday, the DeWitt Advisory Conservation Commission (DACC) also held its annual spring cleanup, which has been going on for about 20 years.
That event from 9 a.m. to noon saw volunteers put on safety vests and sign up to clean various areas within the boundaries of the town of DeWitt—which encompasses the village of East Syracuse and the hamlet of Jamesville—including North Street, Widewaters Parkway, Erie Boulevard and Jamesville Road.
The meeting spots were Robbie T’s Pizza in Jamesville and the Ryder Park pavilion next to the DeWitt town hall. From there, the cleanup participants went to the places they chose to concentrate on and stuck green Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) stickers onto their filled garbage bags before leaving them on the roadsides for pickup by the town’s highway department.
Dennis Payne, the chair of DACC, said the spring cleanup is a jumping-off point for people looking to protect the environment through the rest of the year. He said it also serves as an opportunity for local high school students to rack up community service hours and a motivator to improve the attractiveness of the community and its business properties.
Anyone unable to take part in the DACC cleanup is encouraged to pick another day that fits into their schedules and contact Payne at either 315-469-0565 or [email protected] so he can provide supplies, though they will need to bring their own work gloves.