Spring is here and with it comes another cleanup in the Hope area for locals to participate in.
A cleanup of the riverbank by Water Avenue is being organized by local Ryan Smith for April 19. Those interested in participating are asked to meet at the Hope Station House, located next to the Hope, Cascades & Canyons Visitor Centre, at 10 a.m.
"Well, spring has sprung and the ground has thawed. We can finally get at this mess down by the river," Smith said via a Facebook post. He is part of the Hope Community Cleanup Society. "Even though it's a holiday weekend, I'm hoping we can get a decent turn out. This is going to be a fairly big job, there is a lot of garbage and some heavy items. All will have be brought up the hill from the river. And we could use as much help as you can give."
The cleanup is one of several that Smith has organized, since moving to Hope seven years ago, to keep the area clean. It is also the fifth cleanup, since December 2024, done for the area around the Fraser River.
Two major cleanups for the Skagit Valley took place last year in April and October. For the April cleanup three industrial garbage bins were filled with trash removed from various abandoned camps in the area. For the October cleanup more than 50 volunteers and businesses worked together, using their hands and heavy equipment, to remove garbage from camps cleared by Hope RCMP.
"I believe this town has the heart and the energy to pull together to fix what's been broken and lend a hand when it's needed," Smith said. "We live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, we just need to keep it that way.
"Since moving here we've taken on many cleanups of garbage dumping sites, or abandoned encampments, on our own, quietly, mostly for our own peace of mind. But in the past few years we've noticed the situation getting worse, and a lot more wide spread. We've also noticed the community becoming more aware, and voicing their concerns about the problem."
