An enthusiastic group of volunteers (40-45 individuals ranging from 12 to 80 years old) under the direction of Friends of Orinda Creeks could be seen Sept.19 picking up trash and clearing brush along San Pablo Creek in downtown Orinda. This section of creek, from Chevron to Bank of America, is notorious for illegal trash dumping and littering. FOC announced a staggered work shift program which began at 9 a.m. and finished at noon. Volunteers arrived at 9, 10 or 11 and worked for an hour or more along the creek. The staggered shifts were designed to emphasize social distancing. Masks were mandatory. Volunteers included FOC board members, Next Door Orindans, and male and female Scouts from Orinda Troops 303B and 303G. Leaders and parents from the Troops were also there to help.
Huge piles of trash, debris, brush, one chair, a printer, and one car bumper were brought up from the creek and piled up for pickup by the city of Orinda on the following Monday. FOC would like to thank all of the Coastal Clean-up Day participants and Orinda staff Scott Christie, Public Works/Engineering and Steve Ecklund, City Maintenance Supervisor for coordinating the pickup and removal of debris.
"San Pablo Creek should be an integral and featured part of our Downtown Precise Plan, given the community's documented interest in restoring it and integrating it with the Village," said Bob Stoops of Friends of Orinda Creeks. "Unfortunately, it currently suffers from dumpster blight, as some property owners and tenants adjacent to the creek seem to have little interest in maintaining a clean, accessible, pristine waterway."
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