Earth Day is celebrated April 22, which is a Saturday this year, and everyone in Brandon is invited to take full advantage of the day landing on a weekend.
“There’s a great day planned, from morning to night, and you’re invited,” said Dylan Burrell, chair of the organizing committee. “Earth Day is a no-pressure, lots of fun, come-and-go day to celebrate our planet, and to pitch in with some cleaning to give our green spaces a spiff up for spring.”
In a media release, he says “Earth Day will be spread out across the city this year, with activities planned in multiple locations.”
“Starting at 11 a.m. in four city parks, there will be a fun come-and-go community cleanup and e-waste collection, which will run until 3 p.m. Groups will be gathering at Princess Park downtown, Rideau Park in the east end, Lions Memorial Community Park in the west end, and the Riverbank Discovery Centre in the north end. At each park, you can join volunteers who are picking up a winter’s worth of litter and making the city look its best for spring and summer.
For the come-and-go community cleanups, gloves and bags will be provided, however people are welcome to bring their own as well. You’re encouraged to bring e-waste, including broken or obsolete electronics, so it can be collected and properly disposed of.
Businesses, organizations, or schools that want to participate as a group can compete to collect the most trash from around the city and the winner will get $1,000 to give to the charity of their choice.
Also starting at 11 a.m. there will be a Community Bike Ride led by riders from Bike Brandon. Bring your bike and meet at the Riverbank Discovery Centre for a slow, family-friendly social ride that will loop through all four parks to help bring energy and assistance to the cleanups. The ride will be at a gentle 10-15 km/h pace and won’t leave anybody behind. Helmets and water are recommended. Please dress for the weather.
The group ride will head from the Riverbank to Lions Memorial, then to Princess Park and finally conclude at Rideau Park for a total distance of about 10 km, with stops at each park to take a break from the pedals and to pitch in with the clean-up. Afterwards, some riders will continue back to the Riverbank for anyone who wants to complete a full loop (an additional 3 km).
The Earth Day committee is also hoping to include a tree planting ceremony, but lingering chilly weather means the ground may not be ready to plant trees. Representatives from the Assiniboine Food Forest are preparing to lead a planting ceremony at 3:30 p.m. in Lions Memorial Community Park, but if the actual planting can’t occur, a symbolic ceremony will celebrate the intent on Earth Day, and the trees will be planted by City of Brandon staff later in the spring.
Earth Day will conclude with a Party for the Planet social at Roadhouse, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance at Renu Hygienics/Cafe Do Good on Rosser Avenue downtown, at 15th Street. Money raised will go towards covering costs of the other Earth Day events with any additional funding supporting energy efficiency upgrades at Brandon Friendship Centre.”
