“My name is Mark Williams, I am the owner of Univer Cleaning Inc. and we are currently the contracted provider for the Centretown area, and our main duty is going along the stretch of Bank St every morning.
Our teams walk along and they clean different areas, whether it be debris or garbage, and ensure the streets are clean for when the hustle and bustle starts, and I must say it’s been a very rewarding job because we actually are able to connect with individuals along Bank Street, whether it be the unsheltered population or business owners, and really learn a lot about the Bank St corridor.
It’s also rewarding in the fact that you know that your efforts are going a long way in the image of the area, and I know there’s a big push right now to revive the stretch of Bank St, and so we’re honoured and privileged to be able to provide this service.
I’ve been working with the BIA for going on five years now in other roles, I’m currently the director of security for Toersa Security, and we’ve provided security services for Glowfair, Fire and Ice Festival, and any other activities that happen along the Bank St stretch.
I’m also one of the owners of Arx Fencing and Logistics, and Purple Potty’s and Environmental Services, and we also are the providers for any events that happen along the stretch, so any road closure that happens is usually our team at Arx Fencing and Logistics, and once that road closure is in place, an event is up and running, our Purple Potties are very visible at any event location.
So on average when our teams walk along the stretch, you find that we tend to see a ballpark of 50 coffee cups that are scattered along the stretch. They can be from any location. And also what we find is a lot of garments of clothing from the unsheltered population that are scattered in different areas. And one of the key things that we ensure is the removal of devices that are used for narcotics like needles and naloxone, something that we find very often. We ensure that those are disposed of properly. We also pinpoint any damage that happens along the stretch, whether it be damage to structure or graffiti.
So even though we have teams that walk along the stretch every morning, I feel like it’s important for me to also be part of that. And so three to four times a week I’m actually joining the team, walking along the stretch, you know, taking pride in cleaning and, you know, just being in the environment.
It’s very calming in the morning when there’s no hustle and bustle, as well as it’s good exercise.”
