Ocean enthusiasts from scuba divers to paddlers and beachcombers are being called out to help keep the Gorge Waterway safe and clean.
The Burnside Gorge Community Association is hosting the 12th annual Gorge Waterway Cleanup on Saturday, part of the national Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.
Co-ordinator Sandy Ferris said more than five tonnes of garbage have been removed from the Gorge over the years in what has become a fun and popular event.
Ferris said last year, even stand-up paddlers were on hand to ferry trash to shore, once it was brought to the surface by divers.
She said everything from old shopping carts to bicycles and - during election years - political signs has been removed. All the trash is sorted and the material suitable for recycling is set aside for re-use.
The best evidence of the success of the cleanup was last month's Gorge Swim Fest, where more than 500 people turned up to swim in the waterway - unthinkable before the cleanup.
The Gorge Waterway Cleanup runs from 10 a.m. to noon. '
Volunteers should meet at Waterfront Crescent in the Selkirk Waterfront development. They will be ferried to cleanup spots.
Call the Burnside Gorge Community Association at 250-388-5251 or contact Ferris at [email protected].
