The City of Tampa Parks and Recreation, in partnership with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, hosted the fourth annual Trash Free Waters Dive Crew Day at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park today. This multi-agency clean-up effort, held from 9:30a.m. to 11:30 a.m., brought together divers and volunteers to remove debris from the Hillsborough River, helping to restore and protect one of Tampa’s most iconic waterways.
The event was a collaborative effort between multiple city departments and external partners, including the Tampa Police Department Marine Unit, Tampa Fire Rescue, Parks & Recreation, and the City of Tampa Green Team. Partnering organizations included Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Pirate Water Taxi, Force Blue, Adventure Outfitters, and PDQ (catering).
Originally launched as an initiative to remove electric scooters from the river, the clean-up has since uncovered a variety of discarded items, from bicycles and lawn furniture to traffic cones and other debris. Volunteers worked both on the water and on land ,ensuring a thorough clean-up effort.
“Tampa is a city built around water, and it’s up to all of us to keep our bay clean," said Mayor Jane Castor. “Thanks to the incredible teamwork of our city departments, partnering organizations, and dedicated volunteers, we’re making a real difference in preserving Tampa’s natural beauty.”
Divers from the Tampa Police Department and the non-profit Force Blue took to the riverbed, retrieving submerged waste, while land-based volunteers combed the shoreline for litter.