By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
A clean up of Sylvan Lake Sun., May 31, by the lake commission and Friends of Sylvan Lake, yielded 25 large garbage bags of debris.
Bradley Boulevard resident Kathy Martin is s member of both the Sylvan Lake Commission and the Friends of Sylvan Lake and said this was the second clean up this year.
Martin said in September the Friends of Sylvan Lake, made up of residents living immediately near the lake on the Bradley Beach side, got together to clean up the lake. That event was in addition to the annual spring clean up organized by the Sylvan Lake Commission, which is made up of both Bradley Beach and Avon residents.
“There was just so much debris,” Martin said regarding why they felt the need to clean up in the fall.
Martin said Sunday’s clean up did not clear out as much debris, but that was mainly because the debris they picked up in September still had remnants of Superstorm Sandy.
“Yesterday we had about 25 people that came out. All in all it was not as big a clean up as the last time, that was post Sandy and there were a lot of planks.
“Not to say there was not as much, but it was not as bulky,” she said.
What surprised Martin the most was the amount of building materials found, including duct work and planks.
Martin said it was most likely from builders not being careful enough with debris from building sites, and not from them deliberately throwing the materials in the lake.
“It gets blown in, if there’s a bad storm, it gets lost in there,” she said.
Martin said the group also found many branches and plastic containers.
“I can’t even say it got thrown in, we are on a very windy street, and people put their recyclables out,” she said.
“We had a good turnout, we picked up a lot of debris. We’ll do it again in the fall. Twice a year, it does make a difference,” she said.
Martin also said volunteers sprayed an organic mixture of vinegar, salt and dish detergent on weeds growing on the wall around the lake.
“It keeps them at bay for a while. We also cut back some overgrowth,” she said.
Martin also said the lake commission hires Princeton Hydro four times a year to go out in a boat and spray the bottom of the lake to control algae blooms.
“If we don’t, little blooms come up,” she said.
The commission is also in the running for grant funding for the lake, which Martin said would be used to replace the flume.
“It’s been doctored a couple of time, the band aids aren’t working anymore,” she said.
