2010 RiverSweep
Saturday’s threat of rain did not damper the spirit and enthusiasm of the more than 1,000 volunteers who showed up at the seven locations within the Cuyahoga River watershed for Ohio Canal Corridor’s 21st annual RiverSweep.
The totals for the day included an estimated 18 tons of garbage and 321 illegally-dumped tires, the lowest numbers in the history of the program. Tim Donovan, Executive Director of Ohio Canal Corridor and Founder of RiverSweep explained: “This is a very positive sign for the future of this effort. On one hand, it shows that we have fully - cleaned the areas which have been victims of longstanding abuse. On the other, it points to new initiatives which we can now integrate into RiverSweep – identifying sites which can be landscaped to add visual appeal to the project.“
In fact, RiverSweep volunteers pitched in with the Tremont Gardeners to spruce up the roundabout at West 14 Street & Quigley. In the future, other such sites will be added.
RiverSweep is a true partnership project with many companies and organizations pulling together to accomplish significant results. Tanya Ricchi, Manager of RiverSweep, released this statement: “Ohio Canal Corridor thanks all of the organizations and individuals who sacrificed their time and donated money and resources to ensure this annual success. Among the funders, we include: Ohio & Erie Canalway, Cargill Deicing, ArcelorMittal, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Stein Inc., Dominion, City Architecture, Flats Oxbow, Benke & Associates, Ulmer & Berne, Chartwell Group, and the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District. Among those companies who supplied time, talent and equipment, we thank ArcelorMittal, Nautica, Gillespie Undeground, Aries Industries, Ohio Bulk, and Allied Waste. On the people side, we could not do RiverSweep without West Creek Preservation Committee, Slavic Village Development Corporation, Old Brooklyn Development Corporation, Friends of Big Creek, Stockyards Redevelopment Corporation, Brecksville/Broadview Hts High School and Normandy High School, among the many groups that included Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops.”
Looking back, RiverSweep has played an important role in leading an effort to create new trails and parks, and includes in its history: Cleveland Metroparks Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation, Washington Park, Mill Creek Falls and Trail, Morgana Run Trail, and Treadway Ravine & Trail. Looking ahead, we should remember this strategic purpose as we move toward extending the Towpath Trail north through the Cuyahoga Valley and building important connector trails along Train Avenue, the Big Creek Valley, and the lakefront. Includeing Canal Basin Park as part of the developing Ohio & Erie Canalway, our National Heritage Area which stretches from Cleveland’s lakefront to New Philadelphia, Ohio.Frog Art through the years....
RiverSweep is Ohio Canal Corridor's annual, environmental awareness and clean-up initiative. The event partners multiple non-profit organizations with private companies to clean areas along the Cuyahoga River Valley and its tributaries. RiverSweep is a "done in a day" event where volunteers gather at one of seven designated areas. There will be a luncheon and entertainment following the cleanup at the Plain Dealer Pavilion for all volunteers that will run from 12:00 - 2:00 (lunch will only be served until 1:00).
RiverSweep stands out as Ohio's most successful environmental clean-up with teams of environmentally aware volunteers, community groups, non-profit organizations, government agencies and corporate partners clearing the river valleys of debris. RiverSweep has established a tradition of cleaning areas where new parks and extended trails will be built one day.
Examples of the new parks include Ohio Canal Corridor's Hart Crane Park in the Flats, Cleveland Metroparks Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation, Mill Creek Falls, and Washington Park Reservation. In process are the West Creek Greenway, Treadway Ravine in Cleveland, Walworth Run (Train Avenue), the extending Towpath Trail from lower Harvard Avenue through Tremont to Canal Basin Park in the northern Flats
For more information, call Tanya at 216-520-1825 or e-mail tanya@ohiocanal.org.
