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Pittsfield Housatonic River Clean Up - June 10, 2007

This was the last of three river clean-ups planned as part of National River Cleanup Week organized by the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) and BEAT with help from the Housatonic River Initiative. Also hauling stuff out of the river were State Senator Benjamin Downing, Pittsfield City Councilor Matt Kerwood, staff from the Pittsfield Conservation Commission, and Jenny Hersch from the proposed Housatonic River Museum. (Photos by Dave Gibbs, President of HRI, and Carolyn Sibner from HVA)

Start of Cleanup

Most of the cleanup crew assembled at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 10th at Wahconah Park. In the crowd - Mayor James Ruberto (who had to go on to high school graduations), State Senator Benjamin Downing, and Pittsfield At-large City Councilor Matt Kerwood. Senator Downing and Councilman Kerwood both heaved and hauled a ton of trash.

Thank you to all who helped!

(Click on a picture for a larger image.)

Hauling stuff up a bank
Getting trash out of the river
Cleaning the river bank
Dave Gibbs, President of the Housatonic River Initiative and Jenny Hersch of the proposed Housatonic River Museum, hauling stuff up the bank, out of the river.
Volunteers helping Carolyn Sibner of the Housatonic Valley Association haul trash out of the river upstream from the Wahconah Street bridge.
Jane Winn, Executive Director of BEAT cleaning the river bank.
Senator Benjamin Downing cleaning the river
Pittsfield City Councilor Matt Kerwood and another volunteer cleaning the river bank
Working hard
Senator Benjamin Downing cleaning the Housatonic River near the Wahconah Street bridge. Pittsfield City Councilor Matt Kerwood and another volunteer cleaning along the river bank. The volunteers pull lots of big, heavy junk out of the middle of the river.
Judy by Car
Volunteer carrying long iron pieces
More in the river
Volunteers after the cleanup
Judy emptying her boot
Kaila and Jane
Some of the volunteers stayed around to have a bite to eat and a drink to celebrate a job well done! Judy Gitelson from Pittsfield Beautiful, emptying out her boot.  
group by the pile of trash at Wahconah
Close up of the pile at the upstream side of Wahconah
Pile on the other side of Wahconah Street
Some of the crew standing next to the pile of trash collected from the upstream side of the bridge on Wahconah Street. Pile of trash at the side of the Wahconah Street bridge included a cot frame, lawn chair, 5 shopping carts, tarp, box spring, jumper cables, 2 safes, car parts, tool drawer, microwave, rugs, car batteries, basket ball, bat, soccer ball, blender, speaker, scooter, 2 shovels, bicycles, a pick axe, 2 sledge hammers, and 2 vacuum cleaners. The pile at the downstream side of Wahconah Street.
Checking out the trash at Columbus Ave.
A closer look at the Columbus Ave pile
Wahconah Street from another perspective
Checking out the pile at Columbus Ave. A closer look at the pile at Columbus Ave. which included a two-seater baby jogger, a TV, 5 carts, a grill, 7 bicycles, a tire, 4 scooters, a microwave, a leather jacket, and two more bags of trash. Another view of the pile at the downstream side of Wahconah Street.
Pile at West Street
Another view of the pile at West Street
We don't seem to have a picture of the pile at Linden Street which included 3 bicycles, 5 carts, a scooter, television, a tire, 2 bags of trash and one crutch. The pile at West Street which included 2 shopping carts, 1 bicycle, 1 computer complete with monitor and cpu, and another matching crutch. Another view of the West Street pile.
Also check out the cleanups in Sheffield and Great Barrington.

THANK YOU EVERYBODY!

 

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