Not all that smells is also bad looking. For the third year in a row, St. Albert Place will showcase a unique collection of garbage cans.
The Botanical Arts Garbage Can Painting Contest will kick off Spruce Up St. Albert, the annual initiative to clean up and beautify the city between April and October.
The metal cans were painted and decorated by local school children in a citywide competition for the best design. This year’s theme was to show what clean and green means.
“It’s fantastic actually, the variety of them from year to year changes. The schools are so creative when they come up with their ideas,” said Erin Gluck, community recreation co-ordinator.
“We get really excited when we go pick them up because you never know what you will get.”
Participating schools include J.J. Nearing, Ă©cole Father Jan, Ă©cole La Mission and Vital Grandin.
The clean and green design was made in reference to the newly-renamed Clean & Green RiverFest, said Gluck. The event was formerly known as Clean Up the Sturgeon, where schools and community members gather to clean the river valley.
Last year’s most popular garbage can had an Oscar the Grouch theme. But Gluck said they also had cans decorated in puzzle pieces, handprints and a Wall-E theme to show St. Albert without its clean-up.
The first vote for the best garbage can goes to Mayor Nolan Crouse on May 1 at 10 a.m. Residents can vote for their favourite design afterwards at www.stalbert.ca/garbagecontest or in person at St. Albert Place.
Voting runs until May 7.
The school or schools with the most votes will plant a tree in their name at the Clean & Green RiverFest on May 12. But their fancy garbage cans can be seen throughout the year at all St. Albert festivals.
