Image: Ryan Smith / Jones Lake, also known as Wahleach Lake, is pictured. Volunteers are organizing a garbage cleanup effort this weekend at the popular recreation site east of Chilliwack. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Cleanup effort

Cleanup effort planned for popular recreation area east of Chilliwack

Oct 16, 2024 | 1:20 PM

FRASER VALLEY — The beauty of Jones Lake, also known as Wahleach Lake, east of Chilliwack remains a sought-after recreational destination for day users, campers and nature lovers alike.

But that pristine destination isn’t looking so great these days due to what one cleanup organizer says is an accumulation of garbage and other unsightly blight spanning several kilometres, prompting volunteers to organize a cleanup of the lake this coming weekend.

Ryan Smith, one of the volunteers involved in this Saturday’s cleanup, says the garbage at Jones Lake isn’t too bad compared to some years. However, there’s still work to be done in keeping it clean.

“There’s still quite a bit of loose trash, cans and bottles, and broken camping gear spread around and broken glass on the beaches,” Smith said. “I’m hoping for 15-20 volunteers to span out the 5.5-kilometre unmaintained camping area, along the roads, on the beach and throughout the sites.”

Image: Ryan Smith / Garbage at Jones Lake (Wahleach Lake).

Cleanup effort

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Smith says he’s used several Facebook groups to get the word about the cleanup effort.

“We put the call out on the BC 4×4 Facebook page and several local Hope boards, as well as the Hope Community Cleanup Society page that I moderate,” he said. “I’m hoping that should stir up enough interest, but more publicity can’t hurt.”

He hopes to enlist the help of a few pickup trucks to make the cleanup work easier.

“We will have our truck and trailer to haul the bags out,” Smith said. “We could use maybe a couple more pickups to haul anything that’s left. This is just general camping garbage, nothing scary. It’s just spread over a 3-km plus area. We will have garbage bags. Bring your own gloves. I hope to see you there.”

Volunteers are invited to meet up at the bottom of the hill at the pullout to the forest service road. The cleanup begins at 10 a.m. this Saturday, Oct. 19.