The City of Saint-Eustache is inviting residents to take part in a major cleanup of local riverbanks on Saturday, Sept. 12, as municipalities and environmental organizations across the North Shore work together to reduce waste in regional waterways.
The Grand Riverbank Cleanup will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The event will proceed rain or shine and is open to participants of all ages. Registration was mandatory and closed on Sept. 1.
In Saint-Eustache, the cleanup will target four locations: Parc Boisé des Moissons, the area behind the Guy-Bélisle Library, Promenade Paul-Sauvé and the section of the Rivière du Chêne located south of Moulin Légaré.
The municipality’s event calendar identifies Promenade Paul-Sauvé, behind Saint-Eustache City Hall, as the gathering location.
Eight municipalities involved
The Saint-Eustache operation forms part of a larger North Shore mobilization involving the cities of Boisbriand, Sainte-Thérèse, Lorraine, Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Bois-des-Filion, Deux-Montagnes and Saint-Eustache, with the participation of Rosemère.
The Conseil des bassins versants des Mille-Îles, known as COBAMIL, Éco-Nature and Mission 1000 tonnes are also participating, depending on the cleanup location.
According to the City of Saint-Eustache, the operation is intended to clean the banks of the Mille Îles and du Chêne rivers, protect aquatic ecosystems and help reduce the quantity of waste found in the region’s waterways.
The scale of the operation is reflected in the results reported following the previous edition. More than 2,200 pounds of waste were collected during last year’s cleanup, according to the municipality.
Saint-Eustache Mayor Marc Lamarre described the event as both an environmental undertaking and a demonstration of cooperation among municipalities and community partners.
“Every action counts,” Lamarre said in the city’s announcement. He added that removing waste individually produces a concrete improvement in the local environment and that the cleanup demonstrates solidarity among the participating cities and organizations.
Protecting a shared resource
Municipal councillor Guillaume Lalonde, president of Saint-Eustache’s Commission on the Environment and Beautification, emphasized the importance of the region’s waterways for local wildlife and plant life.
Lalonde said the waterways are among the community’s collective resources and described their banks as places that should remain healthy, attractive and welcoming. He also praised the volunteers who take part in the cleanup each year and invited residents to participate in the Sept. 12 operation.
The municipality has presented the event as a citizen mobilization organized jointly with neighbouring cities and community organizations. The regional structure allows several municipalities located near the same waterways to conduct cleanup activities during the same period.
The Saint-Eustache registration form also allowed participants to indicate whether they were affiliated with one of several local groups. Those listed included the 62nd Scout Group, the citizens’ associations of the Seigneurie, Îles and Moissons neighbourhoods, the Laurentides regional recreational association for people with disabilities, Maison des jeunes Saint-Eustache and Mouvement Personne d’Abord de Saint-Eustache.
Participants were also asked whether they would be accompanied by children and, if so, how many children would attend.
Clothing and safety instructions
Because the work will take place along riverbanks, the city recommends that volunteers wear long clothing and closed shoes or rain boots. These precautions are intended to reduce the risk of contact with harmful plants or species.
Participants should also be prepared for changing weather, as the municipality has confirmed that the cleanup will not be cancelled in the event of rain.
The Sept. 12 activity continues a collaborative effort involving municipalities, environmental organizations, community groups and individual volunteers. Its stated objectives remain the removal of waste from North Shore riverbanks, the protection of aquatic ecosystems and the improvement of the surrounding environment.
Additional information about the Saint-Eustache operation is available by calling 450-974-5000 or writing to communaute@saint-eustache.ca.
