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Several tonnes of garbage hauled in during Fraser River Cleanup in Chilliwack

A total of 700 volunteers flocked to the shores of the Fraser River to help with the cleanup
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From left, Keegan Carson (Abbotsford), Karissa Lapinsky (Agassiz), and Ashley Elford (Abbotsford) look for nails in a pile of ashes during the Fraser River Cleanup on Saturday at the end of Gill Road. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)

Hundreds of people lined the shores of the Fraser River for the 12th annual Fraser River Cleanup on Saturday.

The event was hugely successful with a total of 700 volunteers who picked up several tonnes of garbage from many locations along the shores of the mighty Fraser. This year’s cleanup saw 50 more volunteers than last year’s.

One of the most unusual items they found was a sawed off shotgun, which is now in the hands of the RCMP.

Other trash picked up included tires, carpet, concrete, bottles and cans, and thousands upon thousands of nails from burnt wood pallets.

“In many cases this will prevent the garbage and plastics from being washed down river to the ocean with the coming freshet,” said Chris Gadsden, one of the volunteer organizers.

Over the past 11 years, more than 125 tonnes of trash has been removed from the banks of the Fraser thanks to the annual cleanup.

The next river cleanup — for the Vedder River — takes place next month. The Chilliwack/Vedder River Cleanup Society’s spring cleanup is set for Saturday, April 13 at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve at 8:30 a.m. For more info, go to cleanrivers.ca.

READ MORE: Fraser River Cleanup hits the hotspots around Chilliwack

Note: An earlier version of this story stated an incorrect amount of garbage that was removed from the shores of the river on Saturday. Fraser River Cleanup has collected more than 125 tonnes of garbage over its 11 years.

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Several tonnes of garbage was collected. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)
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This sawed off shotgun was one of the more unusual items found. (Chris Gadsden)
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A whopping 700 volunteers came out Saturday to help clean up the banks for the Fraser River. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)
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People look for garbage at the end of Gill Road by the Fraser River. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)


Jenna Hauck

About the Author: Jenna Hauck

I started my career at The Chilliwack Progress in 2000 as a photojournalist.
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