Downtown Maple Ridge received a bit of a facelift on Wednesday as people from dozens of local organizations came out to participate in the Blitz Day cleanup effort.
Organized by the City of Maple Ridge and Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association (DMRBIA), this volunteer-based event was part of a larger program known as Sparkle Week, which invites Maple Ridge business owners and residents to plant flowers, sweep sidewalks, and remove garbage from their neighbourhoods.
Flori Chaykowski, executive director of the DMRBIA, said that she was delighted to see such a large turnout for the event and that it goes a long way in helping to keep people proud of the city.
“We’re happy to see the community’s organizations come together like this,” said Chaykowski.
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Various stations were set up throughout downtown Maple Ridge for Blitz Day on April 17, but less-structured cleanup efforts will continue until the end of Sparkle Week on Friday and even beyond, with Chaykowski explaining that keeping the downtown core looking its best is something the DMRBIA does every day.
Although the DMRBIA has hosted cleanup events like this in the past, it had never been done to this extent before, said Chaykowski.
“We’re hoping to continue this annually,” she said. “So we’re hoping we can get even more people involved next year.”
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