Volunteers clear out choked, overgrown Langley stream

Several handy volunteers helped cut, pull, dig and remove brush and vegetation that had choked a section of Brookhaven Creek this past week.

By Evan Thompson • September 11, 2015 6:03 pm
Volunteers Matt King and Max Cole Takanikos help cut away and clear out a thicket of vegetation that grew over a day lit section of Brookhaven Creek near Third Street and Anthes Avenue. Helping them are Langley Public Works employees Joe Wierzbowski and Jeremiah Pace.
Volunteers Matt King and Max Cole Takanikos help cut away and clear out a thicket of vegetation that grew over a day lit section of Brookhaven Creek near Third Street and Anthes Avenue. Helping them are Langley Public Works employees Joe Wierzbowski and Jeremiah Pace.

Several handy volunteers helped cut, pull, dig and remove brush and vegetation that had choked a section of Brookhaven Creek this past week.

The stream runs between the Porter Building on Anthes Avenue and Langley Village.

Spurred by Langley resident Barton Cole, a professional gardener for 20 years, the city’s public works department and Langley Main Street Association pulled together help to take out an estimated 40 cubic yards of material. A typical dump truck can haul away 18 cubic yards.

“The vegetation was so thick that if you tried to throw garbage in, it would just bounce back,” Cole said.

“Over half the people who have commented said, ‘I didn’t know there was a stream there,’ ” he added.

It took a full day, from about 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 4, for everything to get cleared out.

Now, the stream is fully day lit and provides watering habitat for birds. Cole has since returned to visit the stream and watched several birds bathing.

“I was getting choked up,” he said.

The average depth of the stream is about 6 inches, but there are places up to 15 inches deep.

With less vegetation covering the stream, Cole said he also hopes it removes what was once a rodent haven.