Spicket River Cleanup

×

Error message

  • Deprecated function: Function create_function() is deprecated in require_once() (line 3099 of /home3/gwldrupal/public_html/includes/database/database.inc).
  • Deprecated function: Function create_function() is deprecated in require_once() (line 3099 of /home3/gwldrupal/public_html/includes/database/database.inc).

 

COME JOIN THE FUN!|¡VEN Y ÚNETE A LA DIVERSIÓN!

Over the past few years, Groundwork Lawrence and our partners have made significant investments in the Spicket River Cleanup, which has paved the way for our exciting multi-year Spicket River Greenway campaign. Together, we have engaged over 6,000 residents, students, and local corporations, clearing more than 110 tons of debris and removing over 3,650 tires from the riverbanks through our annual Cleanups.

TAKE ACTION!|¡TOMA ACCIÓN!

By participating in this event, you will not only contribute to the beautification of the Spicket River but also experience the following benefits:
 
Making a Difference: Your efforts will have a direct impact on restoring the health and vitality of our beloved Spicket River, creating a cleaner and greener environment for everyone to enjoy.
Community Engagement: Join a diverse group of individuals, including volunteers, local organizations, and city officials, coming together to work towards a common goal of revitalizing our community.
Transforming Spaces: Witness the transformation of the Spicket River as we have successfully managed the design and construction of four new parks along its banks, converting brownfields into vibrant green spaces for recreational activities.
Public Investment: By participating, you will be a part of leveraging millions in public funds, ensuring continued support for the development and maintenance of the Spicket River Greenway.
 

Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of something meaningful and make a positive impact on our community. Join us for the Spicket River Cleanup and let's create a cleaner, healthier, and more vibrant environment together!

 
 
       
 

Great Work is being done! 

 

Our parks and open spaces have been well-used and loved during the pandemic. Thank you for helping us steward them for the future.

Thousands of volunteers have made a measurable difference by helping clean up the Spicket River and the Greenway over the last 20 years. We thank everyone for joining us!

 

Click for More Photos

Spicket River Cleanup Over the Years

 
       

Thank you to all who make this work possible, including our 2022 partners and sponsors

     
 
Greenway Overview The Spicket River Greenway, envisioned by our community as a three-mile long “emerald bracelet” of green spaces and walking paths that connect parks and neighborhoods, represents a series of infrastructure, program, and stewardship investments made by Groundwork Lawrence and the City of Lawrence that are helping to meet the many challenges facing our community. A former mill city in northeastern Massachusetts, Lawrence residents experience high rates of poverty, unemployment, foreclosure, and preventable disease, especially among our lowest-income Latinos who comprise over 70% of our population. The Greenway vision, derived from a multi-year collaborative planning effort led by Groundwork, was identified first in 1998 and continues to serve as a guiding strategy for achieving multiple goals associated with creating a more healthy community. With staunch public support for better riverfront and recreational access, increased walkability, and a healthier natural resource habitat in mind, Groundwork Lawrence has led a persistent, multi-faceted campaign to: advocate for enforcement efforts against illegal dumping with a youth-led Clean Spicket Campaign; raise awareness about the river and its recreational potential; clear invasive species from the river’s edge; improve its habitat with newly-planted natives; and challenge the community to engage in direct action to wholly reclaim our Spicket River.

The Cleanup in Context of the Wider Greenway Initiative

Groundwork Lawrence’s and our partners’ investments in the Spicket River Cleanup over the past few years have helped propel our multi-year Spicket River Greenway campaign, too. Since 2002, Groundwork has engaged over 6,000 residents, students, and local corporations in clearing 110+ tons of debris and over 3,650 tires from the banks of the Spicket River with eleven annual Cleanups. Concurrently, Groundwork has served as project manager to the City of Lawrence, and as such, has leveraged millions in public funds and facilitated the design and construction of four new parks along the Spicket River, including two prominent brownfield-to-park transformations.

 

2015 Spicket River Cleanup 026.JPG 2015 Spicket River Cleanup 038.JPG Hayden Schofield-Sloped Boardwalk