Community cleanups and awareness events planned in Yarmouth

A call is going out to the public to not only help make Yarmouth County a cleaner place, but to create added awareness that littering is never okay.

Over the April 23-24 weekend, the Yarmouth Events Association is hosting a Yarmouth Earth Day Clean Up and Celebration.

Several activities are planned, including community cleanups, beach sweeps, school presentations and a Saturday celebration at the Mariners Centre with music, bouncy castles and other events. Aldric Robicheau and the Brothers Hill Band will also be playing from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Entry to the event is one bag of picked up roadside garbage.

It’s hoped this event will help to inspire a culture change where people grow to appreciate the environment, with the main goal being to limit the amount of discarded litter left in ditches and on beaches.

“This event is inspired by Angela Riley of Scotian Shores,” explains Nick Hilton, a councillor with the Municipality of Yarmouth. Scotian Shores is an organization that travels the province removing litter and debris from beaches. Last year it removed over 100,000 pounds of trash from the N.S. shores, including Port Maitland and Bunkers Island.

Riley and some volunteers are traveling to Yarmouth from April 22-24 to support the event. She will be speaking to classes on April 22 at Drumlin and Meadowfields schools.

“On Saturday we will look to build teams of volunteers to tackle several high-traffic sections in our community,” says Hilton. “The Hardscratch Road, airport stretch, Starr’s Road, Kempt Street, and we are open to other suggestions. The true success of the event depends on how many additional volunteers we receive from the community.”

On Saturday, April 23, people are invited to meet at the Mariners Centre Anthony Pavilion to help with a roadside/community cleanup taking place from 11 a.m. to

4 p.m. and to participate in the Earth Day Celebration from 3-7 p.m. On Sunday, April 24, a shoreline cleanup is planned for Pembroke Beach from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at Chebogue Point from 1-4 p.m.