| Newport News is home to 36 parks that offer unique, tranquil, and beautiful opportunities for residents and guests to enjoy nature. With parks ranging in size from 0.3 acres to over 7,000 acres, Newport News is the place to be to enjoy the great outdoors. While a dedicated city team strives to keep the parks pristine, support from community groups helps immensely. Dr. Gary Whiting, a professor at Christopher Newport University, has been bringing students to Newport News parks for several years to conduct park clean-ups. In mid-November, 17 CNU students from Dr. Whiting’s Ecology class participated in a clean-up at Denbigh Park and Boat Ramp. They collected 67 pounds of trash, approximately 22% of which was made up of plastics. According to Dr. Whiting, the amount of trash collected was noticeably lower than last year, when they removed over 200 pounds of trash. Dr. Whiting hopes finding less trash this year is a sign that park visitors are becoming more conscientious about the environment. If you are interested in learning how you can adopt a spot in Newport News or to organize a clean-up, visit the Public Works website or call 757-933-2311. Public Works created “Let’s Can It” litter clean-up kits, which are available to be checked out through Newport News Public Library. Each kit contains litter grabbers, trash bags, safety vests, and gloves for up to five participants. Pick one up with your Newport News Public Library card at any branch. |
