Saskatoon woman volunteers to clean benches downtown
While downtown businesses advocate removing dirty benches, one Saskatoon volunteer spends her free time caring for them for the whole community.
Lillith Rose, a resident of Saskatoon, decided to take matters into her own hands after the Downtown Saskatoon Business Improvement District proposed removing 25 benches from the downtown core. The removal was aimed at reducing safety concerns and addressing issues like vandalism and misuse of the benches. Protests erupted both online and offline, with some residents arguing that the city should prioritize helping those in need.
Rose, motivated by her own past experiences of homelessness, saw an opportunity to show support for vulnerable individuals. She began cleaning the benches herself, hoping to create a safer environment for those who relied on them. Her efforts were met with overwhelming support from the community, with numerous volunteers and donations flooding in.
Rose even created a safety checklist and provided essential supplies for her volunteers, ensuring their well-being during the cleanup. Despite the ongoing debate over the issue, several businesses have offered their support by supplying needed materials. The city plans to discuss the bench situation again in September 2027.
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
