Help sought for river cleanup

Spring cleaning isn't just for your house. Salt Lake County officials want your help Saturday in sprucing up the Jordan River.

Saturday marks the kickoff of the county's summer river cleanup work. A trail and parkway system runs the length of the river, from its headwaters at Utah Lake to where it flows into the Great Salt Lake, and city and county officials, as well as volunteer and environmental groups, have for years been trying to clean up the river's image as a swampy dumping ground.

"We're trying to use the cleanup as a way of creating a river community," said Jeff Salt, head of the Great Salt Lakekeeper river watchdog group.

Saturday's cleanup will run from 9 a.m. to noon and will focus on portions of the river running between West Valley City and South Salt Lake. Volunteers will meet at the Redwood Park trailhead, 2320 S. 1100 West. Participants should access the park from Redwood Road.

Volunteers are asked to bring work gloves, wear a hat and sunscreen and carry a water bottle. They should also wear sturdy, comfortable shoes. Volunteers will pick up debris along the parkway, clean up graffiti, paint handrails and do other general beautification work.

County Mayor Peter Corroon, West Valley Mayor Dennis Nordfelt and South Salt Lake Mayor Bob Gray are scheduled to help out with Saturday's work.

This year's riverside cleanup project will feature five major projects and several smaller efforts throughout the summer. It is expected to be bigger than in previous years, with the help of corporate sponsorships from companies like REI, Chevron and Smith's Food and Drug.

Volunteers should register for Saturday's kickoff event by calling Susan Fox at 468-3806 or going online to www.recreation.slco.org

Refreshments and prizes will be given out after the cleanup.

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E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com