Volunteers ready to clean downtown

Published 8:59 am Friday, May 15, 2009

Albert Leans will have the opportunity Saturday to take part in the fourth annual downtown cleanup to spruce up the downtown for spring.

Volunteers are asked to meet at the Freeborn National Bank and Jacobson Apartments buildings on Broadway Avenue at 9 a.m. for assignments and supplies. The cleanup will last until noon.

During the cleanup jobs will be available to sweep, pick up litter, plant flowers, clean windows and complete other small odd jobs to help beautify Albert Lea’s historic downtown.

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Downtown Association President Mary Ellen Johnson said city staff will have a truck downtown from 9 to 11 a.m. with black dirt in it, so volunteers can take the old dirt out of the cement pots in front of businesses and replace them with fresh, black dirt.

Ken Meyer, the landscaping teacher at Albert Lea High School, has donated compost to mix with the dirt, Johnson said.

In the pots, volunteers will plant red geraniums, which are the city flower. The downtown business owners will take care of them throughout the year.

City staff are scheduled to hang the new red geranium flags that Destination Albert Lea purchased for the downtown either today or Saturday.

Karen Trow, who has been involved with getting the flags, said the flags will be “showy,” and on the bottom the word “welcome” is printed.

“We’re going to be dressing up the downtown,” Trow said.

Tami Staker, Destination Albert Lea president and downtown business owner, said there are already volunteers with the confirmation class at First Lutheran Church and the Shinefest ecumenical group. She encouraged anyone who is interested in participating to come also.

While there will be some supplies, Trow encouraged people to bring extra brooms or gardening tools in case there are not enough.

Coffee and refreshments will be served.

Also on Saturday, the city will host Hometown Pride Cleanup Day, allowing city residents the opportunity to dispose of many items free of charge or at reduced rates at the Albert Lea Transfer Station and Demolition Landfill.

The reduced rates on cleanup day will be:

Free for brush or yard waste

 Free for household garbage

 Free for demolition debris

 $10 per appliance or sofa bed

 $5 per furniture piece

 $3 per tire

Regular rates apply on rims and e-waste.