Beautifying Marten Falls

Three years into a community beautification project, Marten Falls First Nation is looking better than ever.
The program that started with litter cleanup and brush cutting between houses has now expanded to clearing much of the thick brush along the Albany River banks, opening up a view of the spectacular river from the community.
Marten Falls’ councillor Grace Baxter-Bottle, who initiated the program three years ago, said the idea is to encourage community members to take care of the community.
“I’m hoping it will open some minds,” Baxter-Bottle said. “If the community members recognize that leadership does care about the cleanliness of the community, hopefully they will follow suit.”
Baxter-Bottle said that since the program started, she has noticed many community members cleaning up their own yards and picking up garbage around the community.
“There have been lots of comments that visitors make about how clean the community looks, which makes us proud,” she said.
She added that community members have also started coming forward with their own ideas for community beautification. The main idea has been for hiking trails in the forests around town and along the river banks, which is something the committee is going to look at doing once the brush cutting along the Albany River finishes. Other members have suggested installing picnic tables and picnic grounds along the Albany River.
The program currently employs seven community members. Baxter-Bottle hopes to keep four full-time positions to do ongoing cleanup work and keep on top of brush cutting needs.
For that to happen however, the councillor said she needs to find more funding for the program. The original funding was for three years, and that expires at the end of this year.
“Our logo is ‘our river, our life’,” Baxter-Bottle said. “A clean community is a sign we care about our community.”