A year into the pandemic, when Friday Club's* gatherings at the corner bar were still on hiatus, I was inspired to look into Metro's Adopt-A-Stop program with the hopes that a group-sponsored activity would boost the morale of its members. The concept is simple and rewarding: you choose a bus stop to keep tidy, and Metro posts a sign with your name as the adoptee. Confident that this was something to keep our transit-oriented spirits high and our civic pride relevant, we easily adopted two stops along the NB Grand #70 route (just a couple blocks from our beloved and deeply missed corner bar). We created a shared calendar and assigned specific days for each person to check on the stops—picking up litter, removing debris, and reporting any issues to Metro. Now, nearly a year into our participation, it's become something we look forward to doing and even bonding over, texting each other curious items we found or compliments given to us by passers-by during our pick-ups. It's also become a habit that's extended beyond just our assigned stops. While seeing our name posted on signs along the City's busiest bus route certainly is fun, discovering how little time it actually takes to make a noticeable impact is the biggest reward of all.
*A Club that meets on Fridays