Academy Neighborhood Cleanup - Saturday, April 25th, 2015

Here is everything you need to know about our second annual cleanup.

First of all THANK YOU! Cleanups can be a thankless job so let me just say how much everyone in the neighborhood appreciates your efforts. 

When? 

Saturday, April 25th, starting at 9 am. We will work the neighborhood until 1 pm. You may work for as long or short of a time as you want, of course! You may also work any time you like, you do not have to start at 9. 

For example: Last year we had a couple of families that wanted to help later in the day. If this is what you would like to do, just email this address and someone will deliver supplies (bags, gloves, and vests) to your house. 

THE LAST GARBAGE PICK-UP will be at about 12:30 (at the pick-up spot... which has not yet been revealed) so bear this in mind while planning your day.  

Where?

At 9 am Saturday, April 25th, we will have a kick-off meeting at The Secret Squirrel, 3025 French Street, in Erie. We will have coffee brewing and everyone will get their instructions as to what blocks they should cover. You will also get your supplies: trash bags, gloves, and safety vests. You do not have to be at the kick-off. We have a few families that are going to work a little later in the day and that is absolutely fine. 

After you have collected your garbage you will take it to a site to be named later. We will reveal the super-secret site the day of the cleanup. This will prevent anyone from randomly dumping their personal garbage there.

Who? 

You! Thank you for volunteering. There are two ways to sign up.

1. You can email The Academy Neighborhood Association and let us know if there is a certain part of the neighborhood you would like to cover.

2. You can register through the United Way. Just click here. Scroll to the bottom. We have a number of people who have signed up this way. Thank you!

3. We have MANY volunteers who are signed up! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow morning!

Who else? 

Our good neighbors at Erie Homes for Children and Adults are participating this year. A group of staff and clients will be cleaning the area of East 27th Street between Holland and German Streets. Thank you to everyone at EHCA for getting involved! We are grateful for good neighbors like you.

The Green Team at Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy will be conducting their regular cleanup of their adopt-a-highway on Friday, April 24th. Be sure to watch for them and drive slowly and carefully as they work along 38th Street just south of our neighborhood.  

What will we do?

We will pick-up trash and debris along the streets in our neighborhood: State Street, French, Holland, German, and Old French from East 27th to East 34th. 

We also have a couple of special projects - Baker Field and a couple of other addresses that need it.

What about cigarette butts? 

Every cleanup participant will receive a "butt bag". We are collecting all of the cigarette butts separately and donating them to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. The folks at TREC send them to a recycling company.

How will I know where to clean?

If you have a specific area you would like to work just let organizer Bob Hand know. He has a map of areas people want to work. After those areas are claimed we will collaborate Saturday morning to make sure all the other areas are covered. 

Some guidelines:

What should I pick up? Let's be thorough. We have a large number of volunteers so we will be able to take our time and really pick up all of the little pieces of junk. Generally, If you can pick something up by taking one step off of a sidewalk and it is clearly trash, grab it! If there are bigger items let's try to bag them up and get them to the pick-up site. NEVER pick up a needle or anything that could hurt you. Just leave it - we will call the health department. 

Should I be loud? Yes! Let's let people know what is going on. A large, boisterous crowd of people that care about their neighborhood is out making it a better place to live. Let people know. 

Why am I picking up other people's trash? This is a good question. We are working to improve our neighborhood. We are also working to raise the standards and expectations for people visiting our neighborhood and for the people who live here that just don't care. Additionally, today's garbage in our neighborhood is tomorrow's garbage in Lake Erie. Lake Erie already has a large amount of plastic and other waste - this is one small step we can take to be a "part of the solution". 

Thank you: United Way of Erie County, Penn Dot, Erie Homes for Children and Adults, The Secret Squirrel, NWPA Collegiate Academy Green Team, ZBT Gannon, and Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania.  

Most of all thank you for caring. The first step to a better neighborhood is the first step you take out your front door. 

Yes We Can: Getting Rid of Garbage at Baker Field

For those who don't know, Baker Field (often called Baker's Field) is a grassy field in our neighborhood on Holland Street, between East 32nd and 33rd Streets. The field is owned by the Erie School District. The district has been hard pressed in recent years to maintain or update the space.

In our survey of people living near Baker Field 86% of people said they would like to see garbage and recycling cans placed at the field, and more importantly they want to see the cans emptied on a regular basis. Additionally, several survey respondents mentioned trash and garbage accumulation as one of their primary concerns about the site. 

In order to address this situation, our neighborhood association contacted the City of Erie in late August of 2014.  Early in September the city dropped off six 55 gallon drums and one recycling can with the understanding that the association would coordinate or somehow arrange for the emptying of the cans. Thank you again to Brenda Sandberg and anyone else who was involved in the delivery of the cans.

The cans sat, occasionally being emptied by me or other neighbors, occasionally collecting gross amounts of soggy trash. Either way, it was better than the garbage blowing around the neighborhood.

Then, one day in October, four of the cans disappeared. I have a few theories as to what happened.

1. They were stolen. 55 gallon drums scan be sold for 5 to 10 dollars, making a quick, but small, profit for someone. I list this theory as probable.

2. Someone at some level of government (the city or school district?) considered the cans garbage themselves and got rid of them. I list this theory as possible but unlikely.

3. Someone in the neighborhood stuck the cans in their garage or storage space for the winter. I will call this theory preferable. 

Because I was concerned about the safety of the remaining two cans, I transported them to the Academy Neighborhood Garbage Can Rehabilitation Facility, also known as my back porch. Here I painted and rehabbed the cans inside and out with two coats of Rustoleum. The cans were also painted with the academyneighbors.org stencil. I'll do some touch-ups in the spring.

As for the future of the cans and garbage disposal at Baker Field, we need to work together on a few issues.

1. Deciding the best, permanent placement for the cans at Baker Field.

2. Working with our neighbors who live on the perimeter of the field to develop a plan to regularly empty the cans. 

3. Working to find money or donations to ensure there is a regular supply of 55 gallon drum liners. Valu Home Center sells them. 

I look forward to hearing from people willing to help.