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Third 1st Creek Clean Up produces wealth of trash
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Saturday morning, October 18th, was a cool but pleasant day. There was no UT football game that day and down at First Creek, the water was full of rebar and the waders were helpful. A small but determined group of 5 adults and one child from Old North Knoxville, and one city employee gathered at the First Creek Greenway and working from 9 a.m. until close to noon, collected 21 pieces of rebar, 2 kitchen countertops, 9 pieces of pipe, 15 car tires, 2 car tires with the rims still attached, 1 commode, 4 metal fence posts, 2 shopping carts, 1 bicycle, 1 bicycle frame, 2 cushions, 1 couch, 1 stop sign, 5 pieces of board, 1 compressor, 2 boilers, 1 auto muffler, 1 car gas tank, 1 child's wagon, 1 small artificial Christmas tree, and 1 no littering sign. In addition, 23 bags of trash were collected, each weighing about 15 pounds apiece, many full of discarded clothing. An abandoned homeless camp was also cleaned up. This is the third First Creek Clean Up Old North Knoxville (ONK) has been involved with. The neighborhood focuses on the part of the creek from Broadway to Glenwood. Recently, Old North Knoxville has joined with the city in the Adopt-a-Stream program. As part of that program, ONK has to hold at least 2 creek clean ups a year. Another clean up is being planned for April 2004.
Most of the First Creek Greenway trail was policed. However, parts of the creek side were left untouched, and unfortunately, only a small section of the creek bed itself was cleaned up. This leaves plenty of the creek still left to clean up in what will be an ongoing process. Beth Booker, who coordinated the clean up, was saddened by the amount of stuff gathered up, particularly from the creek bed. "It just shows how much work needs to be done," she said. Those participating in the clean up were
James Pierce, Tomica Miller, Donna Brechko, Catherine
Suddarth, Beth Booker and 3-month old daughter, Lauren, Mark Johnson from the city, and
David Booker. Another clean up is planned for April. Thanks. Hope to see you and others in the spring.
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