Connor Lalande
Allumettes Island April 29, 2023
The Municipality of L’Isle Aux Allumettes held an EcoFest event at a waste management centre located at 625 chemin du Rang 5 this past Saturday.
An annual event, the municipality organizes EcoFest to engage interested citizens in maintaining the beauty and ecological integrity of the L’Isle Aux Allumettes Municipality.
L’Isle Aux Allumettes Director, Alicia Jones, stated that rather than just being a one-day event, EcoFest is something that runs throughout the spring, with various ecological initiatives being focused on. Saturday’s emphasis was on the municipality’s adopt-a-road program.
“We have people sign up to commit to clean a portion of the municipality, mostly the road they live on,” explained Jones. “They clean out all the ditches and pick up all the garbage. We hand out bags, gloves and little stickers they put on their bags. Usually at the end of it, we take a draw of all participants and somebody gets a prize.”
According to Jones, a digester – a backyard composting system – is conventionally given out to the winner of the adopt-a-road participant draw. Jones estimated 100 individuals participated this year.
L’Isle Aux Allumettes Municipal Community Development Coordinator, Chantal Lair, stated that alongside the adopt-a-road portion of EcoFest, events to involve local youth were also being planned.
“We’re gonna do some children’s activities,” said Lair. “Things like having them plant their own flower garden to attract some pollinators and just some little activities like that.”
“If you show pride in your community and you show pride in where you live, it makes for better community spirit,” said Jones.
