Volunteers Clean 5½ Tons Of Trash From Beaver Creek
By David Crigger/Bristol Herald Courier
Parent Mac McElroy, left, and teacher Andrew Hicks, right, from The Academy at King College work on cleaning up a section of Beaver Creek near Exit 7.
Nearly 200 people joined forces early Saturday and heaved 5½ tons of trash from the creek that runs through downtown Bristol.
“My best find was an old sleeping bag,” said Tom Hanlon, who came to the 9th annual Beaver Creek Cleanup at 9 a.m. Saturday with a group from Rivers Way Outdoor Center. “For me, it was a very satisfying moment – ’cause it was a big hunk of junk.”
Groups from various Bristol clubs and schools participated in the annual event put on by Keep Bristol Beautiful, said Genette Patton, who helped organize it. And despite the rain, Patton said this year’s turnout was even better than the year before.
“It’s been wonderful – in spite of the rain,” she said while serving lunch around noon to the large group of hungry volunteers. “About 175 people came out, and the creek is much cleaner.”
Hanlon said it was the first time he’d brought a group from his center, but added that folks from Rivers Way try to participate in several community service projects per year.
“If we don’t all do something about our community, then our community will fall apart,” he said.
A large group of Vance Middle School students agreed. Ross Walker, who heads the school’s Save the Planet Club, said he came with about 40 students and teachers for the third year in a row.
And according to the students, Hanlon’s sleeping bag was not the most interesting piece of trash plucked from the muddy waters.
“I was right there when they found an arm bone,” said Rhett Murrell, who was one of several students who found something resembling an arm bone, although no one was sure what it was or where it came from. “We had gloves on.”
The students also found a refrigerator and an EZ bake oven. It was the prospect of interesting finds that drew them on a drizzly morning, they said.
“We found a lot of cool stuff last year, so it was fun to come out and see what would happen this year,” said Brandon Ahmed, 13. “Plus, it feels good to come out and work for the community.”
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Reader Reactions
Where, exactly, is this ‘Jungle’? I’ve never heard of it.
I take my hat off to those who participated in the Beaver Creek clean-up.
I myself have spent many hours in the creek pulling out old tires and trash, without the public media there to spotlight my actions. I was surprised to see the city workers throw the trash back in my face with refusal to take it in the cans that I pay for personally to have removed.
But after discussion with the city supervisors, my point was clarified and the garbage was finally taken. But that battle was all it took to make me decide that cleaning this community was a joke.
THe biggest joke: “The Jungle” in the center of town. It is the absolute worst blight on the visual aspect of Bristol, and it is also a health and safety hazard.
When the combination of homeless people and rodents are combined, the possibilities are endless for tradgedy.
All of the residence around “the Jungle” have had problems with the homeless people screaming drunk in the night. It is only a matter of time untill a dead body will be found there.
I myself have seen rats running in packs so thick that they have to jump over each other to move. Not 10, or 35, or 50. there are thousands of rodents that move out of that place every night and endanger the surrounding communities.
Is our local government concerned about this????? Not in the leasts.
They are concerned that if the area is cleaned up, that the poor owners of the land will no longer be qualified to get the clean-up tax break that will be given to them when some fool decides to buy the sick property. Where does this money come from? The local community who works hard to maintain their own property will be paying a massive amount of money to the land owners.
Yet on the other hand, residents who’s property lines are close to “the Jungle” are getting “Clean up” tickets in thier mail saying that if thier property is not cleaned up, and all vegetation and garbage cleaned up, that city workers will be assigned to do the job for them, and the owners will be given the bill.
I myself would not want to get a bill for some lacky that will take all day to weed-eat a few climps of grass and pick up an old mcdonalds cup and straw, when this massive mound of garbage is actually being protected by the city and allowed to grow even more vile and filthy.
There have been prospective buyers, but one look made them change thier minds. If the property were cleaned up, the communtiy would be nicer, and maybe someone would like to use the property. But as always, the rich get richer, and the poor get urinated on here in our wonderful little community.
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