WIN Waste Innovations, town officials gather with community members in cleanup of Golden Hills Playground

By Tara Vocino

The Golden Hills Playground is looking a lot better this week after a successful community cleanup Saturday. Neighbors, community groups, elected officials and others gathered for the cleanup at the park, which will have a new playground installed. Trang Le, who lives in the neighborhood with her husband, Chris Rizza, coordinated the event, which was sponsored by WIN Waste Innovations, Selectman Anthony Cogliano and State Rep. Donald Wong, who collectively provided supplies, volunteers, food and ice cream. Junkster Bags helped with disposal, while Selectman Frank Federico also participated, as did a group from the Saugus Boys & Girls Club.

“WIN Waste Innovations was proud to sponsor the cleanup of Golden Hills Park alongside our neighbors in Saugus,” said Elliott Casey, plant manager. “When our local elected officials reached out and asked us to support this effort, we were glad to step up. Community residents like Trang are the backbone of what makes Saugus a great place to live, and we are honored to stand behind that kind of civic dedication. Supporting community cleanups and charitable initiatives is something we do hundreds of times a year across the communities where we operate, and Golden Hills Park is a beautiful space worth protecting. Being a good neighbor means showing up when it matters, and we would not have it any other way.”

Resident Trang Le Rizza has been organizing an annual Earth Day cleanup around her home since 2020. She and her husband Chris walk their dog, Free, and clean around the neighborhood. “Then, I organized an annual neighborhood Earth Day cleanup, which has taken on its own momentum,” Le Rizza said. “There are so many people that do so much for our neighborhood daily — thank you.”

According to WIN Waste Innovations Public Affairs Specialist Kelsey Dumville, approximately 75 people helped to clean up trash, and WIN provided pickers, gloves and trash bags on Saturday. “Members of the Boys and Girls Club, WIN Waste, Town Meeting members, School Committee, Board of Selectmen, residents and cheer team members all pitched in,” Dumville said.

She thanked Gary Sweezey for pulling out all the tires from Spring Pond, Al McCauley, Billy Stuffle, Dorothy “Dottie” Barker, Dan Kelley and many others for their tireless efforts to preserve, protect and clean the neighborhood.

Saugus High School junior Antonio Monroy-Nollett and Saugus High School sophomore Moses Perez collected cans and bottles along Sweetwater Street.

“Thankful for all the volunteers/neighbors and our supporters,” Le Rizza said. “Thank you WIN for your generosity with supplies and volunteers, Wong for the food and Cogliano for the ice cream.”

State Rep. Donald Wong, who donated platters of food from Kowloon, helped to secure $100,000 in funding for the playground renovation in Fiscal Year 2024 and Fiscal Year 2025. “It’s great to see the community cleaning up and getting together for a good cause,” Wong said.

Le Rizza added that they live in such a great neighborhood.

Saugus Town Meeting Precinct 9 member Nicole Parziale brought her children to participate in the cleanup of her precinct. “It’s good for the kids to learn about Earth Day, which is Wednesday, April 22,” Parziale said. “They are studying it in school.”

“Since the clean-up in 2023, there were a lot of people who made it possible for the park renovation,” Le Rizza said. “Thank you, Donald Wong, Anthony Cogliano, Corinne Riley, Frank Federico, Leo Guarente from Junkster, Dan Kelly, and Katrina Berube for your dedication and assistance to make the park renovation possible.”

She gave a special thank you to her husband, Chris, for all his love and support. They are looking forward to next year’s annual Earth Day cleanup.