On Easter’s eve, crews declutter Acton Center

After the curtains closed on Concord250, a group of dedicated workers mobilized. There were barricades to take down, road barriers to move, and trash bins to clear — all to make sure Acton Center was open and ready for Easter Sunday.

Alan Cathcart, Acton’s public works director, said the event went off smoothly thanks to weeks of planning.

“Cleanup really started two weeks ago when we got our plan drafted,” Cathcart said.

Justine St. John was one of those workers. She and other Acton Public Works employees gathered for orders at 7 p.m. They had just removed one set of road barriers and had their sights set on another. They would work until 11 that night.

St. John normally works as a program analyst for Acton’s solid waste disposal, but on Saturday, it was all hands on deck.

“It was really everyone out here putting in work,” she said. “It’s because of all of us that things have been running smooth.”

Throughout the day, public works employees drove carts along the roads, checking and clearing disposal bins. Eighteen extra workers were brought in from surrounding communities to help with the morning shift, when the most visitors were expected in town. The evening cleanup and breakdown, however, were left to local workers.

As crowds left for the drone show at Acton-Carlisle High School, workers took down barricades and made sure roads were open for Sunday, all while cleaning up any trash in sight. Barricades and barriers were stacked for easy pickup on Sunday and Monday.

“We originally hoped not to work on Sunday,” Cathcart said. “But working with the parks and downtown, we want to make sure it’s done right.”

Acton Public Works wasn’t the only group preparing for cleanup. 

Peter Lee, chair of the Heywood Meadow Stewardship Committee, said he and volunteers would be out Wednesday clearing any leftover trash in Heywood Meadow.

He also volunteered as an ambassador for the event, helping people find their way near Tricon Church on Walden Street.

“We are just making sure it’s all as clean as it can be,” Lee said.