With Earth Day quickly approaching, the City of Courtenay is finishing plans on its fourth annual Community Clean-up event on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Volunteers are asked to meet at the Courtenay Air Park (next to the Rotary Sky Park Playground) at 10 a.m. for a safety orientation, rain or shine.
Trash pickers or grabbers, bags and gloves will be provided.

Volunteers are then invited to help pick up litter in and around the park, including nearby trails.

Volunteers are being asked to pre-register at City of Courtenay so organizers can get a handle on numbers - minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the event.

Mayor Bob Wells encourages members of the community to join the clean-up and says the event continues to build on the community spirit that has shaped the cleanup since its beginning.

“Residents of all ages are invited to come together, pitch in and help keep Courtenay’s parks, trails, and neighbourhoods looking their best.”

The City notes that garbage and debris left in urban and natural environments can wash into storm drains, creeks and waterways.

Keeping parks, streets and sidewalks clean helps keep debris out of the estuary and the ocean.

In addition to the work the City does to maintain public areas, including the downtown and parks, the community has made great strides in the last year to reduce waste, including a 38 percent reduction in garbage going to the landfill with the introduction of automated curbside collection.

This spring, the City and Downtown Courtenay are also running the Bring Your Own Cup initiative, encouraging customers to bring reusable cups to local coffee shops, reducing the number of single-use items going to the landfill.