Residents of Craigavon have come together, under the leadership of Ward 115 councillor Mark van der Merwe, to launch a proof-of-concept (POC) clean-up project, aimed at demonstrating what can be achieved through a co-ordinated community effort.

The initiative serves as a pilot for a long-term neighbourhood management plan, which will be run through a newly established non-profit company (NPC) that launched on October 22.

The POC focuses on visible, practical improvements to key parts of the suburb, including litter removal, verge cleaning and leveling, trimming overgrown trees, and the removal of illegal signage.

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Van der Merwe said the concept was designed to give residents a clear idea of what a dedicated clean-up team could accomplish once the NPC is fully operational. “The main goal of this POC is to show residents what can be done when we work together. We selected a small area, from Crawford School down to the Poplar Road circle, a stretch that’s normally quite tatty, and organised a clean-up there to demonstrate visible change.”

While Craigavon faces ongoing challenges, such as road construction, Uber activity, and informal job seeking, Van der Merwe said the project targeted areas where the team could make the biggest immediate difference.

A key focus of the initiative is encouraging collaboration among residents, homeowners associations (HOAs), and body corporates to support a permanent team dedicated to the suburb’s upkeep.

“We would like local estates and complexes to join in the initiative to support a permanent team that will focus on the area,” Van der Merwe explained. “One of the biggest challenges we face is getting all complexes and estates to come on board and work together.”

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Van der Merwe added that the success of the POC has already been evident through both the visible results and the enthusiastic feedback received from the community.

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive. People are seeing the difference and feeling motivated to get involved.”

Several complex chairpersons and committee members have already pledged their support to the ongoing clean-up efforts.

“Together, we can start making Craigavon a cleaner, safer, and better-managed suburb for everyone,” Van der Merwe concluded.

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