Here’s your chance to help the community by cleaning and beautifying Park Slope at one of our most popular events. The Civic Council’s Spring Civic Sweep makes its return on Sunday, April 10, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (rain or shine).
As always, we’ll supply all the tools you’ll need to pick up litter and scrape signs and paint graffiti off lampposts, from our meeting point in front of M.S. 51 on Fifth Avenue between Fourth and Fifth Streets. We’ll mulch trees and give away pansies. Mr. Rubbish will be on hand to collect unwanted electronics for recycling, and NYC Compost Project in Brooklyn will give composting demonstrations.
We have added something new to this longtime event: a limited supply of free block clean-up kits, which we’ll be giving away on a first-come, first-served basis to Park Slope block associations. Kits will include Grip & Grab tools for litter pick-up, trash bags, paint for covering graffiti on lampposts, a scraper to remove signs from lampposts, paintbrushes, Latex gloves, a paint-can opener, and stir sticks.
The kits are “an attempt to do something about all the litter and graffiti in this beautiful neighborhood, not only on the commercial streets, but residential streets as well,” said Candace Woodward, the Civic Council trustee who has been organizing both the Spring and Fall Civic Sweeps for many years. “I thought if we gave one-time gifts of clean-up kits, it would show blocks how easy it is to keep their sidewalks litter- and graffiti-free.”
The supersponsor for this year’s Spring Civic Sweep is New York Methodist Hospital. Sponsors are: 1 800 Mr Rubbish; Leopoldi Hardware, Park Slope Copy Center, Park Slope Day Camp, Park Slope Food Coop, Tarzian Hardware, and tb shaw realty. In addition, Roadify will be there to describe their commuter alert network, which gives New Yorkers the most accurate conditions for their commute home.
While you’re cleaning, you can enjoy bluegrass music by Vincent Cross and Good Company. Refreshments and Community Service vouchers will be available. This is a fun and educational event for neighbors of all ages. You’ll leave wearing an “I Made Park Slope Cleaner and Greener Today” sticker — and knowing you made a difference.
There’s no need to sign up. The event is open to all. More information is available on our website.
from the March 2011 Civic News