Online community getting to work cleaning up Windsor

An online community in Windsor is coming together to clean up garbage Saturday for the second time in recent weeks.

Julia Paddon, a moderator for the Windsor Reddit page, r/WindsorOntario, said a conversation about litter at a drive-thru sparked a discussion about the issue in the city and some people jumped into action.

A cleanup on College Avenue drew about a dozen people wanting to help and got rid of 15 bags of garbage and recycling.

Paddon said the group took care ofsome larger items tires, microwaves, and shopping carts as well.

"We even found a Zellers shopping cart. Now that one was really stuck in. It stayed there," she told Windsor Morning host Nav NanwaFriday.

"We couldn't get it out. It had obviously been there for a long time."

On Saturday, the group is planning to tackle an alley betweenDougallAvenue and Church Street that begins at WyandotteStreet.

"The moderating team has talked for years about ideas for meetups and community initiatives but they pretty much stayed ideas," she said.

"I just sort of jumped on this chance because of the interest and the enthusiasm that the community was showing me. I feel so good that we've finally started doing these things. It's a small start."

And Paddon seems to be intent on ensuring this is just the start of a wider movement to clean the city.

"There are so many areas that could use a little help, could use a little cleanup," she said.

"If we can cover different areas andshow the whole city some love then I think that helps and we'll get more people out and more people involved."

City program helps community clean

Paddon said with the help of the city, garbage bags and latex gloves will be provided.

Anne-Marie Albidone, the city'smanager ofenvironmental services, previously told CBC News thatthe Rose City Clean Sweep program will help any neighbourhood groups or communities take care of garbage or litter in their areas.

All residents have to do is call 311 and gloves and bags will be provided, along with a number to call when the cleanup is done and the waste is ready for pickup.

"We want to continue to make sure that we're always putting our best foot forward and that when people come to visit, you know, they are seeing, nice parks and nice neighbourhoods, Albidone said.

"It's for us too like for all of us that live here inWindsor we want it to be a nice clean city."

Anyone who wants to help can meet the group Saturday at 10 a.m.betweenDougallAvenue and Church Street at the alley that begins at Wyandotte.