FILE PHOTO

(LEVI LANDRY / iNFOnews.ca)

Kamloops residents will be invited next month to join in a beach cleaning event at the city's core waterfront parks.

The April 21 event could include music, face painting or some other attractions, but the focus will be to have residents help clean the trash from the riverbanks ahead of the spring freshet.

It's expected to start at Riverside Park, where volunteers will be given pickers and garbage bags before heading out to tidy both the South and North Shores.

The city started exploring the idea in September when council asked for both a city-wide clean up event and for an adopt-a-beach program, similar to adopt-a-road programs.

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It was in response to growing concerns over riverfront encampments, where camps are dug into the riverbanks from the Halston Bridge to Riverside Park. Current bylaws allow for the camps nightly, but some become entrenched and others leave a mess of trash behind when moved.

On March 12, city staffer Ty Helgason told council the volunteers will be restricted to certain areas of the riverbanks out of concern for safety and to stay clear of private land.

Volunteers will clean up between Riverside and Pioneer parks, along with the North Shore stretch between the Halston to Overlander bridges.

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Before they do, the city will do a "pre-sweep," to first seek out and clean and needles.

The adopt-a-beach program was abandoned by staff because of safety and environmental issues. Concerned about disturbing fish habitats and personal safety with both riverside terrain and interactions with the homeless, staff told council they were not going ahead with the idea.

"We're not going to solve it all in one day, but we have to embrace that we have a responsibility for the river," councillor Nancy Bepple said.

Many councillors praised the idea calling it a "first step" in the process of cleaning up the beaches.

Not mentioned in the report, or in Helgason's presentation, was the fact that the city has contracted out work to clean encampments in the past, especially ahead of the spring freshet.

It was suggested the city could also use the April 21 cleanup to advertise some of its programs.

An announcement with more details is expected in the coming weeks as staff finalize more detailed plans.

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