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---Lakeview Terrace neighbourhood association celebrates pandemic Earth Day
In the spirit of protecting the environment - all while respecting current Covid-19 health and safety guidelines - the Lakeview Terrace neighbourhood association (AQTL) hosted its annual Earth Day festivities on April 23 and 24. Providing a trio of ecologically-focused activities for the community to participate in, AQTL representative Anik Desmarais told the Aylmer Bulletin that the event was a blast, despite not being as grand as in previous years. Stating that the AQTL has been hosting annual Earth Day festivities for as long as she can remember, Desmarais said it’s one of the most popular events in the neighbourhood that many residents look forward to. Typically attracting at least a couple of hundred participants to enjoy themselves at Lakeview park, the celebrations usually include a variety of social activities like neighbourhood bike rides, arts and games for kids, and recycling initiatives, Desmarais said.
Delighted with the level of participation in the event and the positive impact it left on the neighbourhood this time around - considering the circumstances – Desmarais said it was certainly a success. “People are so eager to get out and do stuff and participate,” Desmarais said, stating that the neighbourhood association has been very active in the community for many years.
On the first day, using a map devised by Jean-Louis Faucher and dividing the neighbourhood among different families, around 15 families (40 people) hit the streets and ditches and filled up as many garbage bags as they could. Participants were encouraged to take pictures of their findings for the chance to win one of two prizes.
On Sunday, in the spirit of promoting the importance of environmental awareness and physical activity, a couple of volunteers in the neighbourhood, Felix and Jocelyn Plourde, spent the day inside the Lakeview park clubhouse tuning up people’s bicycles. Desmarais said the duo fixed around 40 bikes. Felix’s bike maintenance services can be consulted at felixquickfix.ca or by emailing felixquickfix@gmail.com.
Also, to celebrate the neighbourhood’s upcoming 75th anniversary, there was a contest encouraging people to take pictures of their gardens and flower beds with a chance to win one of three prizes. Around 10 volunteers helped organize the event. For Desmarais, organizing activities like the Earth Day festivities for the neighbourhood is hugely important to helping invigorate people’s sense of identity and pride for their community. Stating that Earth Day is a very important day on the calendar for the majority of Lakeview residents, she added that AQTL members share a common interest in environmental responsibility and durable practices.
