Ali Howat, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
Jasper Hikes and Tours hosted the annual Maligne Canyon Shoreline Cleanup on Oct. 3.
The Shoreline Cleanup usually takes place once a year shortly after the summer season as that鈥檚 when there鈥檚 the most trash throughout the trails and the canyon.
Sean and Joy Prockter are canyon guides and reeled down into the canyon during the cleanup to collect trash that is dropped on ledges and sometimes even right on the bottom of the canyon, while the rest of the volunteers are up above on the trails.
Sean and Joy do the annual cleanup as their way of giving back to the beautiful location and their backyard that benefits their guiding business.
In past years, the annual cleanup usually has about 20 to 30 volunteers who come out to help with the cleanup.聽
The biggest turnout the cleanup ever had was 40 volunteers.
Most of the volunteers come from town, but sometimes the cleanup gets serendipitous volunteers who come out to the canyon, see the cleanup and just join right in.
The annual cleanup happens through the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.
Once all the trash is picked up, it gets reported to the shoreline cleanup group, who keeps track of all the trash cleanup throughout the Canadian shorelines.
This year, the cleanup had a total of eight volunteers that came out to the canyon to help.
Due to the rain and the small number of volunteers that came out this year, Prockters did not get to cover the amount of ground as they wanted.
During the cleanup, they collected a lot of Tim Hortons cups, poop bags and gum.
On the plus side, the cleanup crew did get fed a delicious breakfast by some strangers that were out at the canyon.
Jasperites are encouraged to keep their ears and eyes open for next year鈥檚 cleanup, so they can give back to this beautiful place they call home.
