Group cleans up park
While many were at the home show, some local citizens spent Saturday morning digging through debris
BY AMY JUDD, THE TIMES MAY 5, 2011
Bottles, cans, needles, clothes, and tons of yard waste were just a few of the items found by the Port Haney Neighbourhood Change Initiative volunteers on Saturday.
They spent four hours starting to clean up a proposed park space on 223rd Street at St. Anne Avenue.
"We're getting rid of the garbage," said Christine DiGiamberardine, Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows parks and leisure services staff liaison. "We're creating a sense of pride and ownership in the neighbourhood."
"Members of the group were concerned this area was kind of run down," said Michelle Ninow, a consultant hired by the District of Maple Ridge to help with the Port Haney revitalization.
"Everything we do is about improving the neighbourhood."
Ninow recognized it was a big job they were taking on, and Saturday was just the start.
Local resident and caretaker of Haney House Tom Little, said he was volunteering to help improve the community.
"I just want to make people more aware of it," he said. "So it doesn't look so shabby."
DiGiamberardine said this clean up will help residents be able to say "I live here, I care. I can walk through here, I'm not afraid of tripping over garbage or anything."
The Port Haney Neighbourhood Change Initiative aims to foster the development of neighbourhood leadership, proactively engage residents and stakeholders, and create a vision for the neighbourhood, among others.
Anyone can join, and for more information email porthaney@mapleridge.ca.
ajudd@mrtimes.com
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