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91ƵIt91Ƶs your smile and your wave91Ƶ: B.C. street cleaner marks 25 years

91ƵEverything should be done the Harold Zinke way,91Ƶ says Trevor McDonald with Chilliwack BIA

He91Ƶs known as the unofficial mayor of downtown Chilliwack, and on Friday Harold Zinke was recognized by the real mayor, and others, on his milestone employment anniversary.

May 10 marked 25 years for Zinke who cleans up trash on the streets of the city91Ƶs downtown area.

91ƵYou truly are an ambassador to our downtown,91Ƶ said Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove.

He started working for the Downtown Chilliwack Business Improvement Association on May 10, 1999.

91ƵThe day I got hired in 1999, I fell in love with this job because I like to keep our streets nice and clean so that people, when they go for their walk, they see that everything looks so nice,91Ƶ Zinke said back in 2019 on his 20th anniversary.

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It91Ƶs been calculated that he walks 25,000 steps a day. And, yes, he got the day off on Friday.

That morning he got to sit in the mayor91Ƶs chair in council chambers at City Hall and bang the gavel, as people gathered to celebrate him, and his hard work and warm personality.

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Harold Zinke, seen here with Cpl. Brad Rendall, was honoured at City Hall for his 25th anniversary with the Downtown Chilliwack Business Improvement Association on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

91ƵIt91Ƶs your smile and your wave,91Ƶ said Cpl. Brad Rendall.

He91Ƶs worked alongside Zinke for many years.

91ƵOur jobs are actually similar. We91Ƶre both out there cleaning up the streets of Chilliwack, and at times I think Harold gets it done better than what we do.91Ƶ

Plus, he91Ƶs like a ninja with his garbage grabber.

91ƵI91Ƶm sure he can pick up a dime with it,91Ƶ Rendall said.

He presented Zinke with an RCMP challenge coin to 91Ƶsignify the recipient is part of the Upper Fraser Valley RCMP team, which you are.91Ƶ

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Harold Zinke was honoured at City Hall for his 25th anniversary with the Downtown Chilliwack Business Improvement Association on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

Zinke was also given a T-shirt with the words 91ƵThe unofficial mayor of downtown Chilliwack - 25 years91Ƶ on it, plus a Chilliwackopoly board game, and an 91ƵH. Zinke Way91Ƶ street sign.

Since they cannot name a street after him, they gave him 91Ƶthe next best thing91Ƶ which was a street sign to hang in his apartment, Popove said.

91ƵHarold, you can hold that sign up again because everything should be done the Harold Zinke way,91Ƶ said Trevor McDonald, executive director with the BIA.

He added that Zinke comes to work every day with a smile on his face and has never had a bad thing to say about anybody.

91ƵHis grace and his class and his dignity are an example for everybody here and our whole community,91Ƶ McDonald said.

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web1_240510-cpl-harold-zinke-25-years-bia_3
Harold Zinke was honoured at City Hall for his 25th anniversary with the Downtown Chilliwack Business Improvement Association on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)


Jenna Hauck

About the Author: Jenna Hauck

I started my career at The Chilliwack Progress in 2000 as a photojournalist.
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