The biggest single day shoreline water cleanup is returning to Kingston for the 4th time this June.
The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston along with Neptune & Salacia Diving and Swim Drink Fish are welcoming the public for Kingston Waters Cleanup – Action and Awareness on June 10.
The event was formerly known as PADI Aware – Dive Against Debris and is part of an international initiative that brings divers and other members of the community together to clean up the shoreline in their area.
The event has typically been held in areas with high foot traffic, previously being held at the Gord Downie Pier, the Marine Museum and this year, it will take place in the water located between the Marine Museum and the Pumphouse Museum.
Michelle Clarabut, the Marine Museum’s Programs and Communications Manager, said they try to hold the event in areas where a fair amount of debris has been previously identified by divers.
“We’re looking for places where there’s some of that recreational element happening and places where we know there is debris,” Clarabut said.
“You have Ahoy rentals there, you have the yacht club… we do know that there’s debris located in that space.”
The community event brings together different partners to provide education and advocacy for freshwater wildlife and the environment.
With an overarching theme of water conservation, each partner brings a different angle and activity to the event.
“Within there each of us is kind of coming at it from a different angle based on what we do as an organization,” Clarabut said.
“We’re each talking about our own thing, each have a demonstration and a hands on activity that goes along with it.”
The free event will run from 10 AM to 3 PM on June 10 and is meant to be a family friendly event, this year including two children’s entertainment groups that are expected to be involved somewhere around 11-1.
Clarabut says organizers want to make the event very accessible to kids to help to encourage them to care about healthy waters from a young age.
“It’s really trying to inspire all generations to take an interest and take action in the protection of our Great Lakes,” Clarabut said.
“And to take a level of stewardship in it, and that starts at a really young age… having that connection with it from as young an age as possible hopefully grows as you get older.”
There is no pre-registration required to attend the event.
