Cleaning Up Shiplock Park - Commonwealth Architects Does a Good Deed

Anyone who knows me knows I am NOT a morning person.  So I am not sure how my Significant Other talked me into giving up my Saturday morning sleeping in to go pick up trash, weed, paint, and otherwise clean-up Great Shiplock Park on the James River.  And, I might add, this activity was scheduled for June 13, 2009, which promised to be a typical HOT, muggy June day.  I don't like to sweat either.  But his firm, Commonwealth Architects, had pledged to do the park clean-up as a public service and in celebration of its 10 year anniversary.  So, even though I was a bit grumpy about it, he talked me into participating.  Beer and pizza at Bottom's Up was promised.

Let me just say, the old adage, "Many hands make light work," is certainly true.  In the course of a morning, 8ish-1ish, we managed to:

• Pick up all the trash up and down the river bank, railroad tracks, and other areas of the park;
• Mow the grass;
• Weed whack the edges and corners;
• Paint the trashcans;
• Re-stripe the parking lot;
• Repaint the curbs in shocking yellow;
• Paint various other concrete barriers and large metal objects (although I think the "Las Vegas Green" was probably a TAD brighter than someone had intended);
• Paint the bridge steps;
• Spray for weeds; and
• Collect all the cans and bottles from the trash for recycling.

At the end of the morning, the park looked great.  It was cleaner, brighter, more inviting.  I, however, didn't make out so well, and was neither cleaner nor more inviting.  Just grubby and paint-covered.  NOT so great. 

But being down there on the river reminded me, once again, of what an amazing treasure the James River is.  The project also got me thinking.  We accomplished so much, just having 25-30 people pitch in one morning for a few hours.  Wouldn't it be great if we could have community clean-ups at various places along the river on some kind of regular schedule? 

Thanks to the employees and owners of Commonwealth Architects, and to their friends and family, for giving of your time and energy.  Your generosity has made Shiplock Park a more beautiful place.  Richmond rocks.  Viva la James!