MONTREAL -- Though restaurant terraces are now back open, Montreal's parks remain a popular gathering place during the COVID-19 pandemic. But keeping those parks clean has proven to be a challenge.
Over on Mount Royal, volunteers from Les Amis de la Montagne have been helping to keep the mountain tidy for 35 years. On Saturday, for the second year in a row, their big spring cleaning event, which normally boasts 500 people, was cancelled.
In their place, smaller groups were scouring the green space, looking for rubbish.
“Many of them are involved on a weekly basis. Some only come once a year for our annual spring cleanup, which we were not able to host this year because of the pandemic. Instead, we're doing these mini cleanups like today, where we've divided the mountain into 30 sectors. Over five or six weeks, we're doing the work in smaller groups and it's working out really well,” said Les Amis de la Montagne director general Helene Panaioti.
Volunteers found a site that's seen a fair amount of use over the past few weeks, as Montrealers found their options for places to gather were limited.
“There probably has been a lot of parties on this site, beer cans and beer bottles and camp fires as well,” said volunteer Line Bonneau. “I feel that for a few hours, I'm taking care of this place and I'm leaving this morning with a sense of accomplishment.”
Mount Royal isn't the only green space in need of a good scouring. A new website is helping to bring 70 different groups around the island together to preserve the popular spots.
“If you visit parkpeople.ca, you can find a group in your neighbourhood and see if they are organizing cleanup events or other social events now that restrictions have lifted and find a way to give back and connect with your neighbours,” said Natalie Brown. “You can also use the parks without leaving a trace. Be a steward of your park by using it respectfully and taking home your garbage at the end of the day.”
