Stratford comes together for Earth Day cleanups and contests

April 22 is Earth Day, and the Downtown Stratford Business Improvement Area (BIA) and community members are working together to freshen up the city after a long winter.

Earth Day, celebrated annually, is the world’s largest environmental movement, dedicated to promoting sustainability, environmental awareness and action to protect the planet.

This year, kicking things off is the first annual Avon Riverbank Cleanup, taking place Saturday, April 18, at 10 a.m. Hosted by the Boathouse Stratford in partnership with local realtor Shane Oosterhoff, the event encourages volunteers to help remove winter debris from the Avon riverbanks and surrounding park areas.

“This is really a community event to help bring people together to raise awareness about the river itself,” said Oosterhoff. “The idea stemmed from last year when the river was really low and the boathouse had to shut down, and how people showed up with the bucket challenge. We just thought this was a great opportunity to follow suit from that experience and put together this event that will hopefully turn into something that we can do every year.”

Anyone can come out to help clean up the riverbank, and cash donations will also be accepted to support Climate Momentum, a local group working to bring people together around climate action and environmental initiatives in Stratford.

Cleaning supplies, garbage bags and gloves are included, along with light refreshments after the cleanup.

A special dirty soda, called Avon Glow Up, will also be available April 18 at Corner Store Candy Co., and a free boat pass for use this summer will be given to all who participate in the river cleanup.

On Earth Day itself, Tuesday, April 22, the BIA invites local businesses to take part in the annual Clean Sweep Contest, where businesses are encouraged to form a “Clean Team” and tidy up sidewalks and storefronts while competing for fun prizes.

“We’re hoping for sunny skies and all hands on deck,” said Jamie Pritchard, general manager of the BIA.

Three contest categories will award $100 in Downtown Dollars to the winners. Categories include best before-and-after photo, best team clean costume and weirdest thing found.

“We made it fun by having a contest with three categories,” said Kim Griffiths, membership and animation liaison for the BIA. “It’s been interesting over the years to see the different things that come in for the weirdest thing found.”

Griffiths noted that in past years, winners found cookbooks and even a bicycle while cleaning up downtown.

Also on April 22, community members can take part in a sweet incentive to help keep Stratford clean. The Sutton Team has partnered with JENN & Larry’s for their annual Earth Day giveaway. Residents who spend time picking up litter in their neighbourhood, a local park or a favourite trail can snap a photo or video as proof and bring it to JENN & Larry’s between 2 and 7 p.m. on April 22 to receive a free kid-sized ice cream, compliments of the Sutton Team.

Businesses can enter the Clean Sweep Contest by posting and tagging @downtownstratford on Instagram or Facebook, or by emailing photos to kgriffiths@downtownstratford.ca.

Winners will be announced April 23 at 5 p.m.

For more information on downtown initiatives, follow @downtownstratford on social media.