Volunteers help keep Chestermere clean

City staff and volunteers worked to cleanup nine bags worth garbage from the lakeshore Oct. 22.
"We live in a beautiful community, but it takes effort to keep it that way," said Fund Development Manager Jon Wong.
The clean-up was done in partnership with RBC for the RBC Blue Water Fall Cleanup.
"When RBC employees proposed the idea of a fall community cleanup to continue celebrating RBC Blue Water Day, we believed it was a great opportunity to work together," said Wong.
There have been lake clean-ups in the past, however Wong said that this autumn's cleanup happened as the continuation of a joint effort with RBC that stemmed from the spring clean-up.
Items collected from the lakeshore included food packaging, fishing line, rebar, metal pipes, and pieces of lumber.
In addition to the smaller objects, there were also some larger items including patio furniture cushions and a mattress.
Wong described the event as a success.
"I believe a cleanup is always a success when you have local residents and businesses working together to help make our community beautiful," he said.
About a dozen residents, RBC employees, and City staff volunteered.
"I think people volunteered because they wanted to keep Chestermere beautiful and it gives them the opportunity to make a tangible difference," said Wong.
He said that it takes the involvement of the community to keep Chestermere clean and beautiful.
Wong wanted to remind residents to use garbage bins when using city parks and to contact the city if garbage bins are full. He also asks that residents report illegal dumping.