Employees of the Pepsi Bottling Group in Taunton and the Fall River Police Department were among over fifty volunteers who spent much of Saturday morning, May 14, 2011 clearing out trash and debris from the north shore of Cook Pond in the City's South End. Rosemary Lapointe, President of the Father Kelly Neighborhood Association, organized groups of volunteers who pitched in for the morning as part of an effort to restore the Pond as a pubic recreation area. M. Earle Gaudette, President of the Maplewood Neighborhood Association recalled when he used to go fishing in the pond back in the 50s and 60s. "It was unbelievable the amount of material that we removed in just a few hours," remarked Sandy Dennis, coordinator of Fall River Park Advocates, a group dedicated to improving Fall River's parks and open spaces. Plans are currently underway to open a public access path around the pond. Click here for the video of the event. For more information about the Urban Parks Advocates Network contact Mass In Motion coordinator Julianne Kelly at 508-324-2405. (YouTube video courtesy of Patrick Mulgrew)

(Top row, left and center) A Fall River police officer wheels a carriage full of discarded tires pulled from the area around the pond while volunteers from Pepsi clear some of the undergrowth. (Top row, right) Pepsi volunteers Don Belenger and Bill Weld carry a tree root from the area. (Middle row, left) Pepsi volunteer Sally Charbonneau carries pieces of trash from the pond shore. (Middle row, center) Fall River Park Advocates coordinator Sandy Dennis sweeps the sidewalk along Dwelly Street. (Middle row, right) Fall River Police Sergeant Jim Smith carries an old board to the dumpster. (Bottom row, left) Rosemary Lapointe, President of the Father Kelly Neighborhood Association, is greeted by Mayor William Flanagan as M. Early Gaudette looks on. (Bottom row, center) Fall River Community Television videographer Phil Sabatino interviews Mr. Gaudette and Copicut Neighborhood Association president Sarah Riley. (Bottom row, right) A bobcat is brought in to begin clearing a path for the bike path that will eventually circle the pond.