Spring Cleanup

When the snow melts (or the grass grows, or the wind does its thing), it has a way of revealing all the stuff that doesn’t belong there. That’s where we come in.

Our Spring Community Cleanup is a chance to give Riverside South a little TLC and help keep our parks, pathways, and green spaces looking their best. Grab a cleanup kit from the RSCA tent at the Rideauview Community Centre (4310 Shoreline Drive) during the event window, then head out to a spot that needs some love. RSCA volunteers will be on hand to help you pick a location and make sure we’re not all cleaning the same patch of grass.

This is also a great opportunity for high school students looking to earn community involvement hours. Just bring your volunteer hour form with you, and an RSCA volunteer will be happy to sign it once you’re done.

Fresh air, a cleaner community, and the satisfaction of making a visible difference. Not a bad way to spend a little time outdoors.

*Rain date is April 26

Some basic safety rules include:

• Never touch a needle with your hands. Follow safe pickup procedures, or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) for assistance.
• Wear gloves and appropriate footwear.
• Wear pants and long-sleeved shirts.
• If cleaning near a roadway, wear a safety vest and clean only the non-travelled portion of a roadway.
• Do not lift heavy objects.
• Supervise children in their cleanup efforts and emphasize that safety comes first.
• There must be one adult present for every six children less than 12 years of age and you must obtain consent from the legal guardian of those participants.
• Children must never touch items like glass, broken wood, metal, needles, or household hazardous waste. It’s a good idea to double up your garbage bags for transporting these items.
• Be aware of your surroundings and the potential hazards (i.e. poison ivy, wild parsnip, streams and branches) and remember to put on protective eyewear as necessary.
• The blacklegged tick that carries the bacteria that can cause Lyme disease is present in the Ottawa area, across Eastern Ontario, and the Outaouais region of Quebec.