Owen Jones Memorial Clean Up

The Owen Jones Memorial Clean-up Day will take place across Prince Edward County on Saturday, April 23.

Community volunteers are organizing the County-wide cleanup. Register online and indicate the area where you would like to pick up litter. Registering helps community organizers ensure the widest coverage and avoid duplication of efforts. If you don’t have computer access you can sign up by calling Wellington Home Hardware at 613.399.3203.

On April 23, participants can drop off garbage they collect at the following locations:

• Picton Home Hardware (13544 Loyalist Parkway)
• Midtown Brewery parking lot (266 Wellington Main Street)
• 15 Coleman Street (Ameliasburgh)
• 3076 County Road 10 (behind Milford Town Hall)

There is no charge for dropping off garbage collected as part of the Owen Jones Memorial Clean-up Day.

Participants can pick up bags and gloves at the Wellington Home Hardware (289 Wellington Main Street) and Picton Home Hardware (13544 Loyalist Parkway) starting a week before the Owen Jones Memorial Clean-up Day.

Participants are advised to take the following safety precautions when cleaning up in the in community:

• Wear gloves and sturdy, closed-toed shoes
• Wear brightly coloured clothes so that vehicles can see you
• Be conscious of traffic and avoid collecting trash from busy roadways where it is not safe to do so
• Only collect trash where you are capable. Avoid steep banks or slopes with loose gravel or soil
• Dress for the weather conditions and be sure to stay hydrated
• Do not collect medical waste (needles, hazard bags, etc.), hazardous waste (paint, oil, etc.) or carrion (dead animal carcass). Take note of the location (including nearby addresses) of these items and report it to the municipality by calling 613.476.2148 ext. 1023 or emailing info@pecounty.on.ca.

Owen Jones, a resident of Picton and a familiar figure in the community, passed away on December 25, 2021. For many years Owen took it upon himself to work tirelessly during the spring, summer and fall to keep the curbs and gutters clear of debris, and in the winter months made sidewalks passable to pedestrians to enable safe access to businesses along Picton Main Street.

Earlier this year, Mayor Ferguson proclaimed Saturday, April 23 as Owen Jones Memorial Clean-Up Day in Picton and elsewhere in the County. The Owen Jones Memorial Clean-up Day will continue annually on the Saturday in April that aligns with Earth Day.