READING, Pa. – The Schuylkill River looks peaceful in Reading, but along the riverbank, there’s still work to do.
“One of the biggest things that we’re still seeing on the riverbank is people grilling and leaving behind like their foil pans and things like that,” said Bethany Ayers Fisher, sustainability manager for the City of Reading.
That’s where “Riverzilla” comes in. The annual event returns to Riverfront Park Saturday at 9 a.m., starting with a cleanup.
“And then at 11, we start with the kayaking. We have field games up in the park area behind me here that we can all just have a nice day in the park,” Ayers Fisher said.
Ayers Fisher says the river is actually in much better shape than it was years ago, but it still faces challenges.
“There was a lot of industry and pollution throughout our history,” Ayers Fisher said. “There’s been a lot of efforts and time and energy cleaning up the river, and we just got to keep the pollution out of the river,” Ayers Fisher said.
Anyone who wants to join the effort can come to Riverfront Park Saturday, wear some sturdy shoes, and enjoy the river while helping clean it up.