Saratogans fail to show up for Wildcat Creek cleanup
By Kara Chalmers
Judy Alberts was disappointed, as were other city officials, with the turnout of Saratogans for this year's National River Cleanup Day event at Saratoga's Wildcat Creek.
The Parks and Recreation Commission Chair was a site coordinator for the May 20 cleanup sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Water District. From 8 a.m. to noon, she and 12 others pulled 450 pounds of trash from a one-mile section of Wildcat Creek behind the Community Center. Four of the 13 volunteers were children under seven years old. "They were very young and they did great," Alberts said.
Councilman Nick Streit and his seven-year-old son, Nicholas, came to help out. So did Planning Commission Chair Chuck Page, his wife, Mary, and their two daughters, Lindsay, 6, and Megan, 4. Parks and Recreation Commissioners Elaine Clabeaux and Sandra Dodge participated, as did Alberts and her five-year-old daughter, Rebecca.
Two Sunnyvale residents and a San Jose resident, who discovered through the Internet that the Saratoga clean-up site was closest to their homes, joined the effort, as well.
"There are so many people who are vocal about things that are wrong and here is an opportunity to contribute and the only people that were not politically affiliated were residents of another city," Alberts said. Alberts, who had enough gloves, trash bags and bandannas for 100 people, said she understands that Saturdays are "tough" due to demands of soccer, Little League games and other activities, but she had hoped for more people, even if they stayed only a short time.
"I was surprised and disappointed at the number of people--the lack of people--that we had assisting," she said, and added that realistically, she hoped for between 20 and 30 people. "People just can't sit in their chairs and complain about the way things are going."
According to Alberts, all citizens should help keep the city's many creeks clean. "One person and one group can not do it alone," she said.
Streit echoed Albert's sentiments. He said the turnout was poor and that the city will try to do a better job getting the word out next time. Page also said the low turnout was unfortunate.
"It's funny how many people claim they are so pro-environment in this city, but we do something like clean up a creek and only a handful of people show up," Page said. "It was a shame."
While the water district did most of the advertising, the city staff liaison to the commission, Cary Bloomquist, sent a notice of the event to all members of city staff, all city commissioners and City Council members, Alberts said. She also said she gave out flyers for distribution to teens at the Warner Hutton House and posted a flyer on the kiosk at City Hall. City staff liaisons and Interim City Manager Bill Norton mentioned the clean up at city commission meetings and at City Council meetings.
Alberts heads the Parks and Recreation Commission's subcommittee on creek cleanups, which is how she found out about National River Cleanup Day. She went twice to Kelley Park in San Jose for site coordinator training and to pick up supplies. A few days beforehand, she and commissioner Dodge did a preliminary walk through the creek to cut back and label poison oak--and a dangerous spike--with caution tape.
The volunteers found parts of lawnmowers, pipes, poles, fireplace grates, pokers, rugs and aluminum and glass alcohol containers in the creek and vicinity.
"I was definitely surprised at the sheer quantity of junk that was in that creek," Alberts said.
Luckily, the group did not find any chemicals, paint cans or needles. "I consider it extremely successful. To see what we accomplished--as few people as it was--is just amazing," Alberts said. While this was her first clean up, she said it wouldn't be her last.
The California Coastal Commission clean up, which includes all the creeks and streams in Saratoga, will take place in September. Alberts said she will use her leftover supplies then.
"We really did have a good time," she said. "It was a bond between different commissions and that part was very rewarding."
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
