Chilliwack Progress
Solid turnout for Rivers Day 2008
By Jennifer Feinberg - Chilliwack Progress
Published: September 29, 2008 6:00 PM The similarities at the Rivers Day celebration were striking.
A new Chilliwack family at their first river cleanup, and a longtime organizer at his 25th on Sunday, displayed similar levels of all-out enthusiasm for the recreational jewel known as the Chilliwack/Vedder River.
“It’s just amazing to see all the volunteers who turned out to do their part today,” said Lew Chater of the Chilliwack/Vedder Cleanup Coalition beaming out at the crowd.
It was an unseasonable warm day that saw a whopping 244 volunteers show up for the World Rivers Day 2008 cleanup and celebration at the Chilliwack Fish and Game club on Chilliwack Lake Road.
Chater noted that there are lots of communities that now hold river-related celebrations, but Chilliwack is one of the few to host a river cleanup at the same time.
More than 200 cleanup volunteers got busy taking trash off the riverbanks earlier that morning, including anglers, scouts, kayakers, hikers, bird watchers, school and church groups, and families.
“I’m really pleased to see the number of children here today,” Chater said. “It’s important for them to see the value of what we are trying to save and preserve.”
He said there’s a clear desire among river users to maintain the access to the resource, as well as keeping it pristine, estimating that “95 per cent use it properly.”
It’s that pesky five per cent of garbage dumpers and habitat destroyers that make work for the volunteers during the thrice-annual cleanups.
One of the volunteers was at her first cleanup.
“I’m now a junior conservation officer, and a proud one,” said 10-year-old Kristyn Ross of Chilliwack, pointing to her badge. “I don’t know much about fish or fishing, but I want to learn.”
The Ross family was dropping off bags of garbage that they collected that morning into the massive bin in the parking lot, before checking out the education booths and the barbecue lunch offerings.
“We found some sort of tree fort, and a whole bunch of plastic cable coating,” Ross said.
But they also spotted what might have been bear and cougar prints, along with sightings of broken glass and rusty pipes.
The keen youngster, her parents and her three siblings recently moved from Regina, Sask. and were at their first river cleanup, chipping in, as a way to learn about the community and salmon habitat issues at the same time.
“We want to teach our children to appreciate the beauty that’s all around us,” said Angel Ross, Kristyn’s mother.
“We thought it would be a good way of teaching morals and values, as well as becoming part of the community,” added Barry Ross.
There were several kiosks doling out information and contact numbers, as well as prize draws, a barbecue lunch, and cake.
It was Tammy Syer’s second cleanup experience.
“I appreciate the river being there, and I always want it to be there, for my grandkids, and their grandkids,” she said.
Syer explained she doesn’t fish, but she thoroughly appreciates walking along the river. She was struck by the fact that some anglers made a point of thanking her for pitching in during the cleanup.
This year’s haul of trash included hazardous items like a bunch of car batteries, bottles, paint cans, and a huge bin full of assorted garbage.
jfeinberg@theprogress.com
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Topic: BC Rivers Day, Worlds Rivers Day And A CVRCC Rivers Day (Read 4453 times)