The city is cleaner after about 100 volunteers and residents removed more than 16,000 pounds of debris from parks and neighborhoods this past weekend.
The volunteers helped clean up debris and trash as part of Ansonia’s second annual Neighborhood Clean-up Day Saturday.
“This is the community banding together to work at cleaning-up Ansonia,” said Acting Mayor Stephen Blume. ​“I am proud of the organizations and private individuals who spent several hours of their time to help make our city better for all.”
“Ansonia has a great sense of volunteerism,” Blume said, ​“and despite the cold, damp weather, these self-less people came out to help.”
Ansonia Public Works kept the transfer station open three hours beyond the normal Saturday hours to accommodate trash brought in from residents and the clean-up.
They were also on call to haul trash cleaned by other organizations and residents cleaning throughout town.
“The transfer station brought in over eight tons during this clean-up day,” said Mike Schryver, superintendent of Public Works and event co-chairman. ​“There was also a steady flow of cars from people dumping throughout the whole day.”
Schryver added that, ​“usually the transfer station traffic is minimal on rainy days.”
Several small groups worked in their neighborhoods, while others cleaned up larger public areas, including a debris-laden bank behind Olson Drive buildings. (View the See, Click, Fix discussion on that debris here.)
Some groups assisted at the Ansonia Nature Center in preparation for Earth Day.
Volunteers came from an assortment of organizations including: Riverside Apartments residents, Griffin Hospital, Ansonia High School Baseball, Girl Scouts, Ansonia Democratic Town Committee, Ansonia Cultural Commission, Valley Community Foundation, The Commyssun Motorcycle Club, Friends of Ansonia Nature Center, and the Ansonia High School Human Relations Club.
Also, Big Y World Class Market donated towards the refreshments which were provided after the clean-up.
The clean-up was held for three hours in the morning, and was followed with refreshments at Ansonia Rescue Medical Services which was originally scheduled for Nolan Field, but moved due to the weather conditions.
“Some of the clean-up involvement was done on a smaller scale,” said Mike Marganski, Ansonia’s Anti-Blight Officer and co-chairman of the event. ​“Individual homeowners were seen removing debris from their premises. But with all said and done, it was a successful event and heightens awareness to the trash and debris issues that we sometimes get acclimated to.”