June 22, 2025
Every spring brings community clean-up events—but for our long-time volunteer Carl, it’s a year-round commitment. A creative soul, he transforms his findings into annual collages of the items he collects.
This past year, he shared two striking pieces. The first is a colourful assortment of small, everyday objects—things you might expect to see lost or discarded. Missing a glove? You might just find its match here.
His second collage has an industrial edge. It features pieces of steel gathered since last October from roadside bike lanes. The largest piece weighed over five pounds, and Carl noted there were far too many wheel nuts for comfort.
Most of the crescent-shaped fragments were found near Leski’s Crossing, where Government Road meets the CN Rail line at Olson Road. Perhaps overloaded vehicles taking that sharp corner too fast were breaking their springs. Speed litters, perhaps?
We hasten to add that Carl re-uses, upcycles, and recycles as much as possible of what he collects.
If you spot litter on your own walks, be inspired by his example. Pick it up and dispose of it responsibly.
Photos by Carl Halvorson, in honour of Earth Day 2025.