Volunteers remove thousands of kilograms of garbage from Calgary parks and pathways

A barbecue, an iPad and a one-armed teddy bear were just a few of the many strange items found at the 49th annual Pathway and River Cleanup on May 1.

Bike volunteers delivered extra supplies throughout the event.

Thank you to the over 2,500 volunteers who spent Sunday morning in the beautiful sunshine collecting more than 5,000 kilograms of garbage from our parks, pathways and river banks.

A number of interesting items were uncovered during the cleanup, including a couch, lawn mower and animal skulls.

Relive the highlights on our Storify

Check out photos tweeted out by volunteers during the event to see some of the weird and wonderful finds.

Volunteers included nonprofit organizations, youth groups, community associations, City staff and even cyclists, who delivered extra supplies to volunteers during the event.

Cleanup sponsor, TD Bank Group, had over 80 volunteers, including retired Calgary Stampeder, Jon Cornish, who helped spruce up Pearce Estate Park.

Retired Stampeder, Jon Cornish, lent a hand
in Pearce Estate Park.

Get involved in #yyccleans year round

The Pathway and River Cleanup may be over, but help is always needed. Here are some ways you can get involved in keeping Calgary clean:

• Always pick up and properly dispose of your garbage, including pet waste and cigarette butts.
• Organize a community or school cleanup using our free The Litter Cleanup Kits (TLC Kits) available at nine city locations.
• Attend a P.U.P.P.Y. event to help pitch in and pick up in our city’s off-leash areas.

To learn more about the Pathway and River Cleanup, or to find out how you can volunteer for next year’s event, visit calgary.ca/pathwayandrivercleanup.

Submitted by Regan Wetsch, Parks