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By Kevin Mathews/Special to LAist
At times, the LA River can look more like a dump than a storied waterway, due largely to the litter that amasses in it. Fortunately, an effort is underway to help beautify and revitalize the river. Tomorrow from 9am to noon, Friends of the Los Angeles River, along with support from Mayor Villaraigosa, will host the annual River Clean-Up day, and the public is welcome to sign up and participate.
The effort will take place at various spots along the LA River from Canoga Park, all the way to Long Beach. Bands will be playing at each of the locations to entertain the volunteer cleaning crews. Additionally, fresh off a Coachella appearance, Grammy winners Ozomatli will play some songs to thank the volunteers for their time.
The LA River clean-up event started 22 years ago with just 20 volunteers, according to KPCC. This year, more than 3,000 people have already registered to assist in the clean-up. While most of the debris consists of paper and plastic materials, in years past, volunteers have found items as varied as swords and telephone booths below the water’s surface.
While the Pasadena site has been eliminated because of a lack of trash, there are still 14 other locations where local citizens can assist in the process. Anyone interested in getting down and dirty tomorrow to help the river is encouraged to register online and bring a signed waiver to your nearest site.
