Feel Good Friday: Meet the ‘Mayor of Ottawa Park’

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - No matter the weather, the self-appointed “Mayor of Ottawa Park” reports to work.

David Clark has lived in Toledo for nearly three decades. After retiring two years ago, he took on a new job during his daily walks at the park.

“I get so many benefits out of this just health-wise,” said David. “I don’t know why there isn’t a waiting list of people wanting to be mayor of their own little park!”

Clark says he grew fed up with the litter he spotted while walking the trails, so he remembered a friend’s advice and decided to stop complaining and do something about it.

“As long as I’m walking, it’s no extra effort to me to just bring along a bag and a grabber and pick some of it up,” Clark explained.

His efforts earned him a social media “shout-out” from the City of Toledo and a thumbs up from his fellow park-goers.

“A lot of people, as they go by, will just, ‘hey thanks for doing that!’. A lot of people say, ‘hey where do I get a grabber like that?’, which I love that,” Clark said with a laugh.

And though he doesn’t understand the attention, we and so many others appreciate his efforts to keep his corner of Toledo beautiful.

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