Ballona Creek Cleanup a Big Success

On Saturday, February 8, Ballona Creek Renaissance (BCR) and LA City Councilman Mike Bonin co-hosted a big Ballona Creek cleanup at the bike path entrance at Centinela Avenue and Milton Street in Del Rey. At this unique spot the concrete creek bottom and its urban and natural runoff meets the soft-bottom tidal estuary, a special place of art, creekside vegetation, fish, waterbirds, people, shaded seating, and, unfortunately lots of trash!

“The turnout on Saturday was beyond expectations, reaching close to 200 volunteers and visitors!” reported Sandrine Cassidy Schmitt, BCR’s creek cleanup co-leader. “We were definitely working as a team, and I am proud to have been part of it. We were successful in conducting our first zero waste event and removed 520 lbs of trash from the creek, from reaching the ocean!”

The diverse and broad-based BCR-led event team included representatives and materials from Los Angeles Audubon, Friends of Ballona Wetlands, Councilman Bonin’s staff, Boy Scout Troop 50, LA City Office of Community Beautification, LA City Sanitation, LA County Public Works-Flood Control District, Del Rey Neighborhood Council, and cleanup volunteers of all ages from a wide variety of schools, neighborhoods, organizations, and businesses.

BCR’s next creek cleanup will be held 9am-noon, Saturday. April 19, at Centinela, and will be co-led by Troop 50 Life Scout Evan Dumas as his Eagle Scout Project. “A Culver City High School junior, Evan really helped a lot at our February cleanup and has great suggestions for the next one”, added BCR President Jim Lamm.

For details and photos about creek cleanups and other activities and to sign up for BCR E-News, go online to www.ballonacreek.org and www.facebook.com/ballonacreekrenaissance.