Bayside neighbors join for annual spring clean-up

Coffee and baked goods kick off this year's Bayside
Neighborhood Association's Spring Clean-up Saturday,
May 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet at the Community
Garden near the corner of Chestnut and Oxford streets.
Here you can pick up trash bags, gloves and rakes.

It's also a good spot to meet members of BNA's
steering committee, as well as local politicians. Once
you've enjoyed some refreshments and caught up on the
neighborhood gossip, select a section of street or a
whole block. Then stroll over and clean up whatever
the winter has left behind.

"A few hours of work helps spruce up the whole
neighborhood," says Adam Hill, chair of the
Adopt-A-Block Committee. "It also gives
Adopt-A-Blockers a headstart on keeping their adopted
streets clean."

The BNA's Adopt-A-Block initiative is a pilot program
in Portland experiencing success. More than 30
residents and business owners have adopted specific
sections of the neighborhood and commit to keeping
them clean. As a result, last year's fall clean-up day
produced much less trash than in previous years.

Following the clean-up at 1 p.m., Portland Trails will
lead a guided walk along the future route of the
Bayside Promenade. The one-mile trail will connect to
the Back Cove Trail at Tukey's Bridge and to Elm
Street. Eventually it will connect the Eastern
Promenade Trail and the Back Cove Trail to Deering
Oaks Park. The walk begins at the Community Garden.

For more information about the May 10 Spring Clean-Up
Day or Adopt-A-Block, call Adam Hill at 615-5267 or
email him at adamcnhill@yahoo.com.