It may not be everyone’s favourite way to spend a Saturday morning, but for Joyce Forsythe, answering M.P. Mark Gerretsen’s call to clean up litter in Doug Fluhrer Park was important.
Forsythe says she picks up litter on a regular basis.
“I’m often embarrassed by how much litter is in Kingston, so I just started picking it up myself and I do it a couple of times a week and it needs to be done a couple of times a week.”
Close to two dozen people joined Gerretsen. Paper, plastics, cans and even larger items were found at the waterfront park.
Four Queen’s University students helped the local federal politician pull a shopping cart out of the Cataraqui River that runs along the park.
Andrew Kole managed to dig out an old rusted and abandoned bicycle.
Kole is the operations manager at EZ Stak and says several employees joined him in the endeavour.
“Something that we’ve decided to do a little bit more of is to actually volunteer a little bit more of our time, put us sort of on the map, get involved and make the community better.”
The morning clean-up is part of a new action, Gerretsen said.
“This particular initiative is a national initiative that’s being done by liberal members of parliament throughout the country.”
Beautifying area parks isn’t new to Gerretsen, though — he ran a similar event himself when he was Kingston’s mayor.
Gerretsen says even small acts and a little bit of time can make a difference.
“It can really transform that area, even if for a short period of time.”
In just over an hour, the group filled about a dozen bags with garbage and recycling.