Hillsborough County Joins Collaborative Effort to Clean Up Hillsborough River

A strong show of collaboration and community spirit was on full display recently in Hillsborough County's Riverhills area. The County partnered with a local nonprofit to clean up the Hillsborough River in Temple Terrace. The second-annual Riverhills Cleanup took place at Riverhills Park, bringing together Hillsborough's Code Enforcement, the County's Rapid Response Team, and its Marine Unit alongside the nonprofit Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (KTBB), and a passionate group of local volunteers. County officials estimate roughly 1,000 pounds of trash and litter were cleaned up from in and around the Hillsborough River.

Allan Antolik, the Deputy Director of KTBB, praised the dozens of volunteers who came out to provide a helping hand.

"What stands out most to me is the sense of community," said Antolik. "It's a culmination of all these volunteers coming together, united under one cause."

Volunteers picked up trash along the shoreline, while five kayaks provided by KTBB were used alongside the County's Marine Unit and Rapid Response Team on the water. Crews collected trash items including old tires, plastic, glass, electronics, and bikes.

Cathy, one of the many volunteers and a resident of Temple Terrace, says she's grateful to be a part of the solution.

"It's fantastic; it's so nice to be part of the cleanup," said Cathy. "The Hillsborough River is part of what makes Temple Terrace a nice place to live; we need to keep it clean."

Spring cleanup

Beyond the collaboration and volunteering, part of what made this cleanup so successful is the time of year. County officials and KTBB held the event in early May, when water levels are low. In doing so, marine teams and volunteers had access to trash and other items that otherwise would be hidden or unreachable. Hillsborough's Rapid Response Team targeted under the Temple Terrace Bridge to pick up hard-to-reach debris. The team then used specialized equipment to collect and dispose of the collected trash. With waterways serving as the backbone of Hillsborough, County officials stress the need for this type of effort.

As for the director of KTBB, Antolik says working with Hillsborough County has helped the nonprofit find continued success in its mission to keep Tampa Bay beautiful.

"Everyone from Hillsborough County has always been professional; they've always been friendly," said Antolik. "It's been a great relationship, and we love working with the County."

Learn more about Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful and Hillsborough County's efforts to conserve Florida lands and wildlife at HCFL.gov/conservation.