Spring cleaning Squamish

Residents invited to ‘pitch-in’ for annual cleanup event

It’s that time of year again to invite your neighbours, colleagues, family and friends to ‘pitch-in’ by removing garbage and litter from urban, rural and wilderness areas in Squamish. Pitch-In Week, Canada’s largest environmental improvement campaign is on now through April 29. Many residents chose to get a head start on Pitch-In week activities by taking part in recent community clean-ups at Smoke Bluffs Park, Squamish Estuary and well-used trails, and hundreds of Squamish residents have registered to take part in this week’s initiative. Registration remains open throughout the week.

“We are so grateful for everyone who has registered to take part in Pitch-In Week, and encourage all residents to take as little as 20 minutes this week to clean up and restore our environment,” says District of Squamish Mayor Karen Elliott. “There are many opportunities for the community to collectively take action for the sake of our watersheds, wildlife and natural surroundings by organizing a clean-up, planting a tree or organizing a recycling drive. We are proud to join thousands of communities across the country for this important environmental movement.”

Residents are invited to take part in these Pitch-In Week events:

• Community Cleanup Days – Groups and individuals are encouraged to register for a cleanup of a particular street or area of choice. All registered groups receive gloves and bags, as well as full support as necessary from the District Operations team, including a tipping fee waiver for the Squamish Landfill. Groups of neighbours, friends, family members and community or sports groups are encouraged to ‘adopt’ a street or area and tackle it together. Visit our Pitch-In Week registration page to register.

• 20-Minute Makeover – Designed for residents who don’t have a lot of time but want to help out, the 20-Minute Makeover is a quick way to make a big impact. Residents are encouraged to head outside and spend 20 minutes picking up litter in the immediate area. Register to receive your Pitch-In package of bags, gloves and waiver to bring your collected waste to the Squamish Landfill free of charge.

For more information on Pitch-In Week and to get involved, please visit our website at http://squamish.ca/pitch-in-week.

April 23, 2019