Temple Good Roads Day

Good Roads Day (GRD) is a Temple community tradition.  This whole-town event occurred every spring, with a few brief gaps of several years, since it was first established in 1914.  The tradition began as “Good Roads Day” and was focused originally on community road repair. The event continued in the same fashion until sometime in the 1950s.

Later, when it was brought back in the 1960s to 1970s, it was held as Town Improvement Day and included several new tasks such as the painting of the common rails and the cleaning of the village center. From the mid-1980s through the early 1990s, it was known as Town Spring Cleanup Day or Community Cleanup Day.  Off and on between the formal town-sponsored periods, some people celebrated it as Temple Earth Day.

Although the event has been called by several names, the original name was brought back for the turn-of-the-century 2000/2001 revival of this old-time community tradition. 

The current GRD serves as a kick-off event for the town cleanup season (April through October). Participants focus on picking up litter along most of the town roadsides, raking in the village center along town buildings, weeding most of the town gardens, raking at the ball field, and removing leaves from the playground. 

Some follow-up work and several group roadside litter pickups are scheduled during the late spring, summer, and early fall.  In addition, many of our Temple community members pick up litter along the roadsides at regular intervals throughout the year.

Since the 2000/2001 revival, Good Roads Day activities have begun on a Saturday in April or May.  The initial work day typically begins in the early morning and ends in the mid-afternoon.  Coffee, baked goods, tools, and supplies are available to the workers beginning around 8:30 am.  Forty to fifty (up to 100 in the past) participants of all ages work at the various project sites on the actual day of the scheduled event. Most of the GRD workers gather for the noontime potluck meal in Friendship Hall. Some continue their work after lunch; others go home after the meal. 

Since 2001, families, individuals, and a few community organizations have shared the cost of food and supplies for this special town gathering.  The day has something for everyone and is made possible by the caring and the commitment of the people of Temple.  It is a wonderful way to share the joy of springtime and to work with others to keep our community safe and beautiful.

For more information, call Linda Bollinger at 878-1078, or check the March/April issue of the Temple Newsletter.