'We have a lot of pride in our community': Fed up Point Douglas residents clean up riverbank

Winnipeg -

A group of Winnipeggers fed up with the amount of garbage in their neighbourhood took matters into their own hands over the weekend.

The Point Douglas Residents Committee (PDRC) said it reached out to the city multiple times asking it to clean up garbage along the river left behind from homeless encampments.

According to PDRC, the city said it wasn't safe for staff to work along the riverbank because it was unstable.

“We have a lot of pride in our community and we want to see our community beautiful and flourish. We want a safe environment. We want people to feel welcome and happy being here,” said Ben Thiessen, PDRC housing chair.

Point Douglas Residents Committee Housing Chair Ben Thiessen stands in front of the riverbank that he and a crew of volunteers and residents helped to clean. (File Image: Scott Andersson/ CTV News Winnipeg)

Last weekend, volunteers teamed up with the Mama Bear Clan to do the work themselves. Thiessen said they worked for about four hours cleaning up the debris and garbage.

“If you were here (Sunday), you would have seen a 60-year-old woman pulling couches out of the river and dragging stuff up that embankment. We don't have any harnesses, we don't have any PPE or protection. We have a can-do spirit and a can-do attitude,” Thiessen said.

“But I mean, it's unfortunate that the city isn't willing to help us out with these issues, and we have to take it upon ourselves.”

The city tells CTV News Winnipeg a crew did attend the site and remove a significant amount of the bulky debris, like tarps and furniture.

Crews were also going to go back and collect more garbage, some of which was frozen into the riverbank, once it thaws.

Once the riverbank fully melts, the city says crews will return to finish the cleanup.

Meanwhile, Thiessen said PDRC is also hosting a community cleanup on April 30 to tackle more of the neighbourhood.