The snow has melted in downtown Vernon and that means the reveal of unwanted garbage.

The now vacant homeless camp on Highway 97 and 48 Avenue is filled with all kinds of garbage, which will soon be all cleared.

"The initial cleanup was in the snow, so we were waiting for the snow to melt, which it has now to do a secondary cleanup," said Erik Lachmuth, Ministry of Transportation. "I don't know when it's scheduled but I called the contractor earlier this week to schedule the final cleanup now that the snow has melted and the rest of the stuff is visible."

The trash at the old homeless camp off Highway 97 and 48 Avenue is not the City of Vernon's responsibility.

Removal of that camp was done by the Ministry of Transportation.

Community members will come together April 6 to clean up garbage throughout town.

"I'm all about communities taking ownership of community," Rachael Zubick, community safety coordinator, City of Vernon. "When we participate as a community together we get great things accomplished, it can't be done in isolation."

"As we come together we are guaranteed success."
 
Locals who want to join in on the Downtown Community Clean-Up can meet at the Community Safety Office at 7:30 a.m.

The cleanup will kick off with a pancake breakfast.

The city encourages businesses, community leaders, service clubs, non-profits and anyone who wants to live in a clean city to join in on the cleanup.

If you would like to participate contact Shelly Brodie at the Downtown Vernon Association at 250-542-5851 or [email protected]