Styrofoam collection and spring cleaning: Gatineau gets involved 

Sonia Roy

Back after a few cancelled editions at the height of the pandemic, Gatineau is resuming its spring clean-up and summer environmental activities. On May 14, Gatineau residents had the chance to get involved with their city and their residential association by joining the citizen or community component of the spring clean-up organized by the city. An initiative aimed at cleaning and picking up garbage in local community parks, the spring clean-up chores took place in various parks in the City of Gatineau: Claude-Rioux Park and the Old Railway Trail, in the Aylmer sector, Lac-Leamy Park and Jacques-Cartier North Park, in the Hull sector, Sanscartier Park and Kitchissipi Marina, as well as La Baie Park, in the Gatineau sector, as well as Landing Park, in the Buckingham and Masson-Angers sectors. Some community associations also cleaned up neighbourhood parks, such as Baron en action (Communities Gatineau West, or CGO), which took charge of cleaning up Marcel Gladu Park. A school component took place from April 22 to May 16, in which schools in the Gatineau sectors had the opportunity to participate.

Continuing this green momentum, the Touraine District Residents' Association held a Styrofoam collection on the same date, at the Riviera Community Centre located on de Picardie Street. Citizens, families and children were able to go to the center on Saturday to drop off their Styrofoam waste. The neighbourhood association had also planned inflatable structures and activities for the children, as well as a canteen. Also, with the warm weather and sunshine, residents took advantage of the August weekend to hold a general garage sale at the Riviera Centre. The colourful tables set up outside, the smiles of this first day without masks and the liveliness of the vendors gave the community center a real flea market feel. Touraine District Councillor Tiffany-Lee Norris Parent reminds us on her Facebook page that the Touraine Neighbourhood Association has joined with the Plateau Residents Association to hold 3 Styrofoam collection events in 2022. There is one more collection to come on Saturday, September 24, 2022, following collections 1 and 2 that took place on January 15 and May 14, 2022, respectively.

Did you know? - Styrofoam is not a recyclable material, due to its friability and high potential to contaminate other materials in a sorting facility. Instead, Styrofoam containers must be rinsed and cleaned and taken to a Gatineau ecocentre (or designated collection site!). For more information on Gatineau's pilot project on Styrofoam recycling, visit https://www.gatineau.ca/portail/default.aspx?p=guichet_municipal/ordures_recyclage_compostage_encombrants/styromousse&ref=fil-d-ariane.

Photo caption: The Styrofoam collection and neighborhood garage sale on May 14, 2022 at the Riviera Community Center.

Photo credit: Sonia Roy

Why May 17th?

Fondation Émergence, which originated in Quebec, organized the first international day against homophobia and transphobia in 2003. This day is now celebrated internationally and May 17, the milestone date when the World Health Organization (WHO) declassified and officially removed homosexuality from its register of mental disorders in 1990, was designated as the official day for the cause.

Photo caption: The celebrations of the BBQ organized by Jeunesse Idem, last May 17

Photo credit: Sonia Roy