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June 23, 2026 Speed River

Speed River Surprises

On our evening paddle through downtown Guelph we had two unexpected wildlife encounters: a swallow nest overhanging the river and a merganser mom and chicks traveling upstream.

We also pulled our fifth tire from the same waterway and balanced it carefully on our paddle board to return for recycling. Most of the tire was disintegrated, so we’re glad we pulled it out before it fully degraded in the water.

Tires leach many rubber additives as they break down — compounds toxic to fish, invertebrates, and the insects that feed everything else in the food web.

1 Bag
5 kg Debris
8 Items Recycled
1 Hrs

Notable Finds

One tire; Recyclables: 6 cans, 2 bottles

Wildlife Observed

Female merganser with chicks

Cleanup Location

56+ Cleanups 635+ kg Debris Removed 93+ Volunteer Hours 1,219+ Items Recycled 8+ River Corridors