Rizzo hopes Revere cleanup continues onward

REVERE – Mayor Dan Rizzo created Revere Shines Day last year when he was a city councilor at large.More than 200 volunteers hit the streets of Revere during one Saturday in April to pick up trash, beautify parks and clean up school playgrounds.From that success, he decided to make it a yearly event. This year Revere Shines is on April 28 and will be starting at the American Legion Building at 249 Broadway.”I’m very big on keeping the city clean,” Rizzo said during a recent interview at his City Hall office.Rizzo and residents will go to various areas in the city and help clean up.”The feedback so far has been incredible,” Rizzo said.One of the reasons the event is so popular is because it brings community members together, City Economic Director John Festa said.”People can meet neighbors they never knew before,” Festa said.However, Rizzo doesn’t want the cleanup to be just a one-day effort to keep the city clean.”It’s great to do for one day,” Rizzo said. “However, what happens after that day?”Rizzo, along with Festa, plans on walking up and down Broadway and Shirley Avenue persuading business owners to get involved.”We are going to present them with a broom and ask them to take part in Revere Shines Day, and to keep their business and area clean,” Rizzo said.”I can do everything I can to keep the city clean, but this idea also needs to stick with the people,” Rizzo added.Rizzo believes some friendly peer pressure will get business owners on board.”If a business owner sees his neighbors keep the outside of their business clean, they are probably going to clean their establishment as well,” he said.Sara Brown can be reached at [email protected].