With hundreds of Cycle Oregon visitors arriving in Grants Pass, a small but determined group of community volunteers is putting extra effort into making Riverside Park ready to welcome them.
Six volunteers completed another cleanup at the park Friday, collecting a substantial amount of litter and safely removing drug paraphernalia discovered throughout the area. The cleanup came only three days after volunteers had worked in the same section of the park Tuesday, making the amount of newly accumulated debris and discarded drug-related material particularly noticeable.
Despite having cleaned the area earlier in the week, volunteers again encountered enough trash and drug paraphernalia to require another round of collection and proper disposal. Organizers said the discovery represented only three days of accumulation in an area of the park that had already received concentrated attention.
The volunteer effort has become especially timely as Riverside Park takes on a much different appearance for Cycle Oregon, a multi-day cycling event bringing hundreds of participants and visitors from outside the Grants Pass area. Riverside Park is serving as a camping and gathering location during the event, placing one of the city’s most recognizable public spaces in front of guests traveling from communities throughout Oregon and beyond.
Volunteers have been asked to lend an additional hand Saturday morning to give the park another thorough cleaning while the Cycle Oregon gathering is underway.
The next cleanup begins at 9:15 a.m. Saturday at Riverside Park and is expected to take approximately one hour. Because portions of the park will be blocked or restricted for Cycle Oregon activities, volunteers should enter from Sixth Street after crossing the Caveman Bridge and park in the area between the Sixth and Seventh street bridges. Cleanup signs will be posted to help participants locate the group.
Bags, gloves, trash grabbers and drinking water will be provided. Volunteers are asked to wear appropriate footwear, with open-toed shoes discouraged because of the possibility of encountering broken glass, discarded needles and other potentially hazardous debris. Cleanup pins will also be available.
The organized effort gives residents who have never participated in a Riverside Park cleanup an opportunity to join neighbors already spending their time maintaining one of Grants Pass’ busiest and most visible public spaces.
Friday’s six-person crew continued work that has required repeated visits as volunteers collect everyday litter while also dealing with hazardous items that must be handled and discarded carefully. Their return only three days after the previous cleanup illustrates how quickly heavily used sections of the park can require additional attention.
This weekend carries added significance because Riverside Park is temporarily becoming a home away from home for hundreds of Cycle Oregon participants. Visitors camping in the park will spend several days in the community, bringing activity into downtown Grants Pass and surrounding areas while experiencing the Rogue Valley as part of the cycling event.
For the volunteers doing the cleanup, the immediate assignment is straightforward: leave Riverside Park cleaner than they found it and give visiting cyclists a welcoming introduction to Grants Pass.
“Let’s show off our most beautiful Riverside Park to the world, or at least the state,” organizers wrote in announcing Saturday’s cleanup.
The invitation is open to residents willing to spend about an hour Saturday morning helping prepare the park for its guests. After several cleanups and another round of work scheduled while Cycle Oregon is in town, organizers are continuing a volunteer effort built around direct participation in the community.
“We are making a difference in our community,” organizers said.