North Point Douglas residents band together for annual neighbourhood cleanup

Residents of North Point Douglas were out cleaning up their neighbourhood on Saturday.

Organizers said the annual event has been going on for the last five to six years, where volunteers go out with garbage bags and gloves to collect waste that has emerged under melted snow from the winter. Residents also cleaned up the community gardens.

“This community isn’t just yourself and your neighbour on either side of you,” said Beverly Burkard, the Environment Chair with the North Point Douglas Residents Committee. “It’s actually people scattered throughout the community who will come together and support each other in making sure it’s the very best it can be, and that is really heartwarming.”

Part of the cleanup included looking for needles and drugs that had been left on the sidewalk.

Burkard said people shouldn’t judge the North Point Douglas area based on its past.

“Don’t judge by the history, take a look, explore and get to see what the strength of individuals who live, their commitment, and their determination can do. Because this is a safe, powerful, united community.”

Burkard added that the community often gets judged by rundown hotels on Main Street.

“We’re not affiliated and we don’t support them, and we’d really like to be a distance from that.”

Burkard said her group also works closely with the Mama Bear Clan.