Approximately 50 students and 15 adults took to the streets of Brooklyn on Saturday, Aug. 12 to sweep and tidy parts of the 86th Street, Bay Parkway and 18th Avenue shopping strips. This is part of Assemblymember William Colton and Susan Zhuang's neighborhood cleanups that focus on local commercial areas. These cleanups have taken place for approximately 10 years.
“The students did a fantastic job,” said Colton. “Residents and merchants in the area all benefit from their hours of hard work. Keeping the area clean is an important part of maintaining the neighborhood’s quality of life, and I am committed to doing my part on an ongoing basis.”
The cleanup began in front of 29 Bay 25th Street. The teams of volunteers focused on 86th Street, between 18th Avenue and 23rd Avenue, Bay Parkway around Seth Low Park, and 18th Avenue between 83rd Street and Bath Avenue.
The cleanups both benefit the community and teach young people about the importance of community engagement.
“These enthusiastic young people are all learning the importance of civic engagement,” Colton said. “By participating in the cleanups, they get first-hand experience of the impact that they can have, and we are cultivating a generation of people who are committed and involved, and who will continue to work on behalf of the community for years to come.”
The cleanups occur several times a year. The next cleanup is scheduled to take place on Aug. 26; plans are to target Kings Highway and Avenue U from West 13th Street to Lake Street, as well as Bay Parkway from 86th Street to Ceasar’s Bay.
