An army of volunteers will scour the banks of the Chicago River tomorrow, pulling weeds, planting native species and picking up garbage as part of the 16th annual Chicago River Day.
The
project, which takes place at 60 sites along the river, begins at 9 a.m. and goes until noon.
It's an all weather event. A picnic at River Park in Chicago will follow to thank all those who participate. The picnic will include a barbecue, kids' activities, and music.
Margaret Frisbie, executive director of the Friends of the Chicago River, which organizes the event, sees the project as a way to "introduce the Chicago River and to
care for the river."
Frisbie sees a bright future for the river.
"It is getting better every day, but there are still water
quality issues and there needs to be better public access such as
bike paths," she says.
About 40 percent of this weekend's effort will focus on restoration work, like the weeding of invasive species and planting of native species, Frisbie says. Other volunteers will work to repair trails, pick up garbage and conduct water testing, according to the group's website.
When the project began 16 years ago, the focus was more on removing garbage, Frisbie said.
When the project began 16 years ago, the focus was more on removing garbage, Frisbie said.
Last year Frisbie estimates 3,700 people turned out to help. She expects about 4,000 this year.
"Every single year, more people get involved," Frisbie
says.
More information and a list of clean-up sites is available at the group's website.
