High Road spruced up by eager helpers
The community banded together to better secure their suburb.
The big, green cleaning machine, Clean Projects, again wrangled its supporters on April 7, this time to clear and transform the intersection of Umtata Street and High Road, Brentwood Park.
After cordoning off parts of the road and directing traffic into single lanes, brush cutters and chainsaws whizzed into action, cutting overgrowth and pruning trees.
According to Mervyn Manning, the organisation’s suburb ambassador for Crystal Park, the residents bordering High Road had expressed concerns about criminal elements using the long grass and low-hanging trees to hide from view before scaling property walls.
“Given that the safety of the residents is being compromised, we joined hands with AfriForum Benoni, CPF Sector 3, Manger Care Centre, the Rotary Club of Benoni Aurora, Farrarmere Pick n Pay, ER24, Dot Towing and Laerskool Brentwoodpark to tackle the mammoth task,” he explained.
“Residents further heeded the call to assist, with Crystal Park residents even postponing one of their clean-ups to lend a hand here.”
Families and friends spent the day restoring the intersection while keen braai masters tended to the fires, ensuring volunteers received a hearty boerie roll as a token of appreciation.
Donning a colourful wig, Alison Etherington, one of Clean Projects’ founding members, said she is still blown away by the overwhelming support their community-driven project enjoys.
“We ask, and the community arrives,” she said while painting kerb stones.
“I believe we are doing more than cleaning, maintaining and restoring our city’s former beauty. We are building strong and united communities.”
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