Volunteers work to clean up Heritage Park. The annual Heritage Park Clean-up will be Day May 1 this year. Pandemic protocols will be in effect.
TAYLOR — The city will host the annual Heritage Park Clean-up Day from 9 to 11 a.m. May 1.
Volunteers will meet in the Pardee Road parking lot — in front of the Sheridan Center Open Air Pavilion — at 9 a.m., and enter the park through the Northline/Racho entrance because Pardee Road is being resurfaced and the Pardee entrance is closed.
Due to the pandemic, the event will differ from others that have been held.
• Cleanup founder Jim Taylor will address volunteers by bull horn with instructions and the schedule for the sweep of the park grounds.
• This is a rain-or-shine event. Dress appropriately; boots are critical.
• Trash grabbers are recommended.
• Face masks are required. They also will be available.
• Work glovesare recommended. Also latex gloves will be available.
• Trash buckets and bags will be handed out, via the Parks Department.
• Bottled water will be available.
• There will be no food and prize giveaways this year.
• “Community service hours” certificates will be available for those who want them.
Due to the pandemic, participants should avoid large gatherings and distance themselves from each other.
After doing an in-depth review of the park grounds, this year’s effort will place a heavy emphasis on the northern most area of the park — along Brest Road — along with the tree line in the far back of the park. These are the two biggest areas of concern, and the spots where most of the debris is caught up.
Jim Taylor started the Heritage Park Clean-up Day in the winter 2013. He was walking through the park and saw the tree lines filled with trash. He spent the rest of his day filling 13 bags by himself. Another resident, Dave Gorgon, happened back to take some photos, and slowly, the event started to build momentum.
The first year, over 260 people, including residents and groups from all over Downriver, participated, and truckloads of trash and debris were removed from the park.
The job became easier after that; however, the event was cancelled the past two years, first by heavy rains and floods and then last year by the pandemic.
For more information, contact Taylor at [email protected] or 734-666-8968, or contact Karl Ziomek at [email protected] or 734-374-1447.
Volunteers work to clean up Heritage Park. The annual Heritage Park Clean-up will be Day May 1 this year. Pandemic protocols will be in effect.