Don't you just want to clean her up and introduce her to your friends?

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Is this like the Arizona 'Adopt a Highway Program' which provides a way for individuals, organizations, or businesses to help maintain sections of the roadside within the Arizona State Highway System? Yes & No.

Yes: There should be a 'Volunteer' and a 'Sponsored' program to adopt a canal section (see #1 link, at bottom).

No: A two-mile section of a highway is fine when you're traveling at 70mph+, but for walking/riding along the canal, I suggest a much smaller section. For example, I'd like to adopt the section shown in this photo (12th street, north of Indian School, east of canal).

Yes: Some form of recognition for adoptees should be visible along the canal.

No: We don't want shopping carts removed from the water, graffiti cleaned, and concrete repaired only to be replaced by a string of visual advertising litter.

I just heard from my friend, Jason, (Feb 17, 2013) that he saw crews cleaning up the canals in Sunnyslope and that they were attending to the whole city of canals in Phoenix. It must be that time of year. (see #2 link on bottom). This is good news, but whenever I've seen the canal it's in bad shape. Surely, something more aggressive and ongoing is in order; something more personal. South Florida has done it (see link #3, below), as has New York (link #4).

How would you feel if someone you knew only showered once a year? Would you invite friends to meet her? Enjoy spending time with her? And we wonder why more people don't cozy up to her on their bikes or feet...

Let's start taking our canals personally. Adopt a canal!

1. http://www.azdot.gov/Highways/AdoptaHwy/index.asp

2. http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/20121114srp-dry-out-clean-canal-system.html

3. http://www.ppines.com/publicservices/pdfs/AdoptCanalfinalbrochure.pdf

4. http://www.canals.ny.gov/trails/adopt.html