Dear Friends,
This week we conducted 5 VIA programs for schools: Virtual Assembly Talk for Fernvale Primary School (2000 pax);Virtual WWE@Lower Seletar Reservoir for Admiralty Primary School; Foot Waterway Cleanup for Damai Secondary School (30 pax); Kayak Waterways Cleanup for Ngee Ann Polytechnic (20 pax) and Foot Waterway Cleanup for Crest Secondary School (37 pax).
On Wednesday, 4 members did boat patrol at Punggol Waterways (see photos). There were very few people in the park. No stray dog and wild boar were sighted. In total, patrol picked up 3 masks from the water and 2 kg of rubbish, which was mainly single used plastic bags. On Thursday, didn’t have patrol at Jurong Lake as all admin staff were involved in the program at Kallang.
On Saturday morning, we conducted regular bike and boat patrol and also monthly kayak patrol. A total of 35 members turned up for duty: 5 members doing boat patrol, 3 members doing pedal boat patrol, 7 members doing bike patrol and 18 members doing kayak patrol, plus 2 admin (see photos). The pedal boat patrol group picked up plenty of rubbish at the Biodiversity Pond and the corner under the Jetty next to Dragon Boat Beach (see photos). They collected about 10kg of litter plus 1 mask, including a lot of plastic bottles and food containers, two spirit bottles, 20 to 30 chopstick wrappers, a tennis ball (again), a huge plastic sheet (see photos). The boat patrol also picked up some litter from the main water body of Marina Reservoir. They collected about 8kg of litter, 3 masks and even rescued a pigeon from water (see photos). On the other hand, bike patrol found that under Sheares Bridge and besides PA Adventure, lots of litter on the embankment and in the water near shore (see photos). Quite a lot of litter was also found along the Costa Rhu waterfront and in the water at the end of Tanjong Rhu (see photos). The bike patrol group picked up 3.5kg litter and 5 masks. The kayak patrol collected about 20kg of litter along the shore of Bay North Garden (see photos). In total, Saturday Kallang patrol groups collected 41.5kg of litter and 9 masks from land and water.
In the afternoon, 6 members went to Punggol Waterways Park for patrol (see photos). They found a lot of litters in the pond next to the glass roof. Workers were seen cleaning and removing litters from the pond next to the fountain wall. An abandoned bicycle was found near lamp post E6-B/W-201. Safetychain found loose below Sumang Walk road. (see photo). Unfortunately, the patrol was suspended due to the heavy rain. They only picked up 0.5kg litter.
On Sunday morning, regular patrols (22 members) and boat training (6 members) were conducted at Kallang. We also had 4 members doing gardening (see photos). While waiting for the other patrol members, the early birds helped to sweep the fallen leaves in front of premises (see photos). On land, one group of 4 did bike patrol at Kallang Riverside Park and Rochor Canal. Near Kampong Bugis, members spotted one fisherman fishing outside the designated fishing zone. Members advised him to fish inside the fishing zone and was told by the fisherman that earlier the fishing zone was too crowded, more than 12 pax, and that’s why he chose to fish outside. At the Kallang Riverside Connector Park, in the corner next to the fishing zone, members spotted signs of someone staying overnight (see photos). Probably due to the heavy rain on Saturday afternoon, there was a lot of rubbish floating along the water bank of Dragon Boat Beach (see photos). Patrol then cycled towards the Rochor Canal and found rubbish near the ICA area (see photos). In total, the bike patrol group picked up 3.5kg of litter and 5 masks. On the other hand, there were 2 boat patrol groups, with 5 members per boat and 2 pedal boat patrol groups, with 4 members per pedal boat. The 2 pedal boat moved together. They picked up litter at the Biodiversity Pond, the corner under Jetty near Dragon Boat Beach and the Sports Hub Vicinity. The corner under jetty was cleared by Saturday’s pedal boat group, but was full of litter again on Sunday (see photos). The two pedal boats picked up substantial amounts of rubbish: 45kg and 24kg respectively, plus 16 masks in total. The boat patrol also reported more rubbish and litter were found on the rivers after the rain on Saturday. Most of the little was picked up next to Garden by the Bay and the Singapore Flyer, but less at MBS and Singapore River towards Clarke Quay. The boat patrols picked up 10kg litter plus 3 masks. In total, Sunday patrol groups at Kallang picked up a total of 82.5kg and 24 masks.
On Sunday afternoon, a total of 15 members did one group of boat patrol and 2 groups of bike patrol in Jurong Lakeside Garden (see photos). The boat patrol picked up a few styrofoam and plastic bags. However, they observed accumulations of litter at the deadend near Jurong Country Club (see photos). Understand this area is very shallow even for the Cleaning boats. The bike patrol groups picked up trash along the patrol route. Plenty of rubbish was floating along water banks, especially near the Fusion Spoon Restaurant and fishing zone (see photos). They picked up 14.3kg of trash, mainly plastics, metal cans and 8 masks.
