On February 28, 2011, I posted a story on this blog titled, “How I Walk the Dogwood Gauntlet”, and on March 4, I followed up with a letter to the Campbell River City Mayor and Council members to bring the issue of trash on the city’s streets, sidewalks and boulevards to their attention. On Tuesday, March 22, I presented my case in Council Chambers.
            I began with a slideshow of photographs I’d taken on my one kilometre trek from my home on the 300 block of Dogwood Street to the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Centre. I described the impact of the trash strewn on the sidewalks and boulevards and the poor impression it leaves on the citizens and visitors of Campbell River. I explained that left alone, the trash gives the impression that we don’t care about the city when in fact we do care a great deal and that’s why we live here. I want to take the city back from the hooligans who tag property and the inconsiderates who just drop garbage in our tracks.
            One of the proposals I presented was to introduce a Citizen of the Streets program to the schools that would encourage students to clean up the perimeter of their school property and extend the generous action to the entire block. Another solution was to take advantage of the John Howard Society Restorative Justice Program and have the offenders clean up the streets as reconciliation to the city’s citizens.
            I’ve been brainstorming on other ideas and am soliciting your help. If you have clean up programs where you live, it would be my needful pleasure to hear about them. Thanks.

Things have got to change.

You can make a difference as part of a clean up crew.

I LIKE THAT