While many Canadians were preparing to celebrate Canada Day with family gatherings and fireworks, a dedicated group of volunteers was already hard at work under a blazing sun, honouring Canada’s fallen one piece of litter at a time.
The seventh annual Environmental Cleanup of the Highway of Heroes ramps at Toronto Road in Port Hope began at 8:30 a.m. on July 1, with temperatures already reaching 30 degrees Celsius before humidity was factored in.
The Highway 401 ramps are dedicated to the memory of Craftsman Kyle Sinclair, who was killed in a training accident at CFB Petawawa on Nov. 21, 2014.
Each year, Sinclair’s mother, Anna Loveman, organizes the cleanup, drawing volunteers from across the region—including some who travel from Toronto—to help care for what many consider sacred ground.
“It’s been very hot,” Loveman told Today’s Northumberland as volunteers approached the halfway point of the cleanup.
Knowing the extreme heat was coming, Loveman handed each volunteer a cold towel before they started, but relief from the scorching temperatures was short-lived.
“I’m so honoured that they are here,” she said. “Every little bit helps—it’s one less thing we have to pick up.”
For Loveman, the annual cleanup is about far more than collecting garbage.
“It’s about a common goal,” she said. “It’s about friends coming together and sharing stories while remembering why we’re here.”
There was encouraging news this year.
One of the ramps that typically produces about 15 bags of garbage yielded just eight bags, suggesting conditions have improved over previous years.
Among the items collected were alcohol containers, pop cans, Tim Hortons and Starbucks cups, and even bottles of urine discarded by passing motorists.
“If they just left it in their vehicles until they actually get to a place that actually takes the garbage—that would be great,” Loveman said.
“It’s simple—but sometimes simple isn’t easy.”
By the end of the morning, volunteers had filled 21 bags of garbage from the four highway ramps—well below the 35 or more bags typically collected during previous cleanups.
For those who gave up part of their Canada Day, the effort wasn’t simply about removing litter. It was another act of remembrance, ensuring the Highway of Heroes remains a place worthy of the Canadians whose sacrifice it represents.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
