Dear Friends,
Our programs are beginning to pick up in the month of March. Hopefully this will become a permanent trend. This week we did 4 programs in total: two Kayak Waterway Cleanup for Damai Secondary School (31 pax) and Northlight School (32 pax) respectively, one Pedal Boat Waterway Cleanup for staff of Palm Ave Float Club (6 pax) and one Power Boat Waterway Cleanup for Salesforce Singapore (8 pax). In total, 67 kg of litter was collected during the cleanup programs.
On Wednesday, 5 members turned up at Punggol Branch; 3 of them went for boat patrol and the other 2 went for bike patrol (see photos). Bike patrol group picked up 2kg of litter from the Punggol Waterway Park, including a gin bottle, a beer mug and 3 masks. Probably due to the continued sunny weather during the past few days, growing algae was spotted in the water. The boat patrol helped to collect some water samples from 3 different locations of the waterway, for a NUS student project (see photos).
On Thursday, two members did a bike patrol at Jurong Lakeside Garden (see photo). The park was very quiet and few people were around in the park. However, at the open area just outside the Jurong Lakeside Garden there were plenty of beer bottles all over the place (see photos). They picked up 3kg litter.
On Saturday morning, a total of 23 members turned up for duty at Kallang. At 10am, a group of 6 members launched out for bike patrol and 3 members went out for pedal boat patrol (see photos). At 1030am, another group of 6 members went for a second bike patrol and also there were 4 members who went for power boat patrol (see photos). 4 members did gardening on that day. The two bike patrol groups took different patrol routes. The 10am group went towards the upper stream of Kallang River and Pelton Canal. They found hotspots of littering along Pelton Canal near old SIT flats / Blk 39 Upp Boon Keng Rd and below PIE flyover (see photos). Also at Kolam Ayer water features along Kallang River, fishermen fishing on the jetty illegally and leaving their trash (see photos). Stretch of shrubbery opposite the slipway of Whampoa Park was full of rubbish and hasn’t been cleaned for ages according to a resident there. One Mobike was found hidden near the Lamppost D5 (see photos).The 10:30am group patrolled around the main body of Marina Reservoir, and picked up litter at Singapore Flyer, Benjamins Sheares Bridge and the Costa Rhu waterfront (see photos). In total, the two bike patrol groups picked up 10kg of litter and 17 masks. The pedal boat patrol went to Biodiversity Pond, Dragon Boat Beach and Sports Hub. They found the waters was the cleanest compared to the past few weeks. On the other hand, the boat patrol found plenty of beer cans and plastic bags inside the drain beneath the MRT track (see photos). Litter was found at the corner under Esplanade Bridge. This area is too shallow for boats to reach. Isolated litter was picked up from Kallang River, main body of the Marina Reservoir and Singapore River. In total, boat patrol collected 8kg of litter plus 2 masks. We also would like to thank P & B cleaners for trimming the cat-tails at our Biodiversity Pond.
On Saturday afternoon, 4 members did bike patrol and 3 members did boat patrol at Punggol. The boat patrol group spotted scaffolding in the waterway near Safra below the LRT Track (see photo). They picked up 5.5kg litter from the water, including 1 mask, 1 football and 1 safety cone (see photos). As for the bike patrol group, they found a lot of litter in the pond and platform next to the Wall Fountain (see photos). Two No-smoking signs at the Wall Fountain platform had been vandalised and thrown into the pond (see photo). Water found leaking at the bottom of the drinking point near to the Jewel Bridge toilet. Reported to the Park manager for immediate action. Both water aerators in the Serangoon Reservoir next to the Sunrise Bridge were found out of order. The bike patrol group collected 3.5kg of litter plus 7 masks.
On Sunday morning, a total of 31 members came to Kallang for duty. There were two groups of bike patrol, with 5 and 6 members in a group respectively; 2 groups of pedal boat patrols, with 3 and 4 members per pedal boat; 8 members did power boat patrol in 2 groups and 5 members did gardening (see photos). The groups are reporting at different times (10am and 1030am). The bike patrol groups covered the area of Bay Central Park, F1 pit, Singapore Flyer, MBS and Parliament House. Plastic bags, bottles and masks were collected along the patrol routes. Along Singapore Flyer lamp post 18/A1 cover came out missing the screw. Members found signs of residual BBQ-ing under the Benjamin Sheares Bridge next to MBS (see photos). Remarkable number of beer bottles were left on the benches in front of Parliament House (see photos). In the water, the two pedal boats picked up 15kg of litter from the biodiversity, mostly plastic bottles, cans, Styrofoam and plastic bags and 1 pc used disposable face mask. After that they went to Sports Hub where it was found quite clean. The two power boats found the rivers were all clean. In total, the 2 bike patrol groups picked up 11.5kg of litter and 19 masks; pedal boats collected 15kg of litter and 1 mask; and the two power boats picked up 4 kg of litter but no mask.
Unfortunately, the Jurong patrol was cancelled due to the heavy rain. Originally, 13 members were scheduled to do bike and boat patrol at Jurong Lake; but braving the rain, 5 members still reported and did some housekeeping.
In addition, we also like to thank PUB for resuming their Induction Program with WWS program. It is a partnership we see great value in. We also hope PUB will consider some support or sponsorship in our newly planned Adventure Program at Lakeside, targeted for small groups of members of public (proposal submitted this week).
