The piles of garbage in many city parks are a definite turnoff for people trying to enjoy a nice picnic or simply the warm weather.
But a massive cleanup effort has been set for April 20, when people from all over Ukraine are invited to go to local parks and other natural areas to do some spring cleaning.
The event called “Let’s Make Ukraine Clean” will take place in 200 cities and villages in Ukraine simultaneously. Participation is simple. One can go to the event’s website www.letsdoit.org.ua, choose a location and see the interactive map of spots where cleanups will take place. Then just choose a place that is close to you and see the time and place where volunteers meet, and contacts of the local coordinator.
Kyiv provides dozens of options in the city center and surrounding neighborhoods. They include well-attended locations like Hydropark or Volodymyrska Hirka park near Maidan Nezalezhnosti, and distant ones like the forests at Vynogradar or Teremky.
The start time for cleanups is 11 p.m.
Participants are asked to bring three large garbage bags and two pairs of gloves. It’s also recommended to have water, napkins and something for lunch on hand.
One can register at the website in advance and inform friends about the event, sharing it through social networks.
The tradition of voluntarily cleaning parks and streets, especially in spring, was extremely strong in the Soviet Union. Held on Saturdays, these events were called “subbotnik” (from Russian word for Saturday, “subbota”).
Some cleanup locations in Kyiv (see more at www.letsdoit.org.ua):
Trukhaniv Island
Hydropark
Mariinsky Park
Babiy Yar
Shovkovychna Street
Babiy Yar
Obolon embankment
Rusanivska embankment
Syrets Park
Solomensky Park
Otradniy Park
Druzhby Narodiv Park
Nyvky Park
Kyiv Post staff writer Olga Rudenko can be reached at rudenko@kyivpost.com
