As the day broke on Saturday morning, over 250 volunteers joined the Varsity Blues mountain bike team to prepare the Don Valley for the team’s favourite time of the year:  cycling season.

After a long winter, the Blues and local community groups scoured the trails picking up all kinds of garbage, including tires, bicycles, shopping carts, a computer monitor and a propane tank. The group didn’t stop there; after gathering over 90 bags of trash, the volunteers planted more than 260 trees under the guidance of graduate students from U of T’s Environmental Studies program and arborists from Parks, Recreation and Forestry at the City of Toronto.

Now in its ninth year, the event has grown significantly to include local schools, apartment building tenants, various interest groups, staff from the City of Toronto and the Task Force to Bring Back the Don.

“It was encouraging to see so many young people and families at the event,” says Blues mountain bike head coach Dave Wright. “I take pride in seeing our students so eager to volunteer and organize this event.”

Guests included Councillor John Parker (Ward 26 Don Valley West), John Wilson, who chairs the Task Force to Bring Back the Don, as well as other representatives from the City of Toronto and various Don Valley user groups.  Jeff Goodes, host of CBC radio’s program Fresh Air, also broadcast a portion of the program from the event and featured the event on his program.

Keeping with tradition, the volunteers enjoyed a free BBQ after the event.