Spartanburg trail and park clean up: Volunteers needed

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – While most of Spartanburg’s main roadways have no remaining trace of Helene, lots of parks and trails do. There are a few chances this weekend to help these areas become cleared and back to normal.

On Saturday, two non-profit organizations, Play, Advocate, Live Well and The Spartanburg Area Conservancy have trail clean-up volunteer opportunities.

PAL will meet at South Converse Park, E Hampton Avenue, and said they will provide gloves, hand tools and waters. They ask that volunteers bring wheelbarrows, flat-nosed shovels, pitchforks, rakes, or any other tools that could be useful if you have them available.

SPACE will be at two locations, one at the Glendale Shoals Preserve, Emma Cudd Road, and the Cottonwood Trail. They advise volunteers to wear sturdy shoes and bring work gloves, loppers, hand saws, and other tools to help clear limbs and debris from the trails.

The City of Spartanburg said there are also lots of other opportunities to volunteer to help our community recover. For other ways to get involved in community recovery efforts, follow this link: United Way of the Piedmont ‘s resource page at https://www.uwpiedmont.org/unitedforall .

Both non-profits are meeting from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

A few volunteers with PAL began work early so limbs would be ready to be taken Saturday morning.

“I’ve lived here for 27 years, and to see Spartanburg develop the way it has with the trail system it’s just such a wonderful thing we have and if anything, we can do to get it back to where it should be is something good to do,” said volunteer, Mark Johnsen.

PAL Trail Development Director Leigh Macdonald said, “Trails are often times an alternative of transportation for all people and all capabilities.”

“We’ve really tried to make sure that we have connecting routes for everyone to be able to get to jobs and schools and parks and places where they need to go.”

Macdonald said while they are thankful for everyone who has helped thus far, they still have much more work that needs to be done.

Johnsen agreed and said, “We have a lot of lot to do here to clear off the trails and the other areas so people can get back to the trails and get back to their vibrant active lifestyle.”

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