Clean-up kicks off at Hillary Scout Hall

THE Scout Hall, based in Hillary, was once a beacon of hope and pride in the community but was left to fall into a derelict state. After almost six years, the 65-year-old building will be given a new lease on life.

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In 2018, the Scout Hall was taken over by families who were later evicted. The hall is now vacant. Overgrown trees and grass made the property an eyesore, but the eThekwini Municipality stepped in and began its clean up.

“Since serving as the ward councillor, I can recall that the area was only cleaned twice in the last six years. The building is part of the community’s heritage and it is sad to see the state of it, inside and out. I am hoping that the municipality can put together a plan for the hall to be utilised. What makes the state of this building even sadder is that there is no community hall in ward 65,” said the ward 65 councillor, Samantha Windvogel.

The councillor hopes that clean-ups will happen on a regular basis.

“The overgrowth outside has been cleaned up, but nothing more can be done in terms of the inside due to the building being protected by law. The overgrowth was metres high and I am elated that it has been cleaned up. Aside from it being an eyesore, the overgrowth was affecting the community. The houses on either side of the hall were having constant problems as the overgrowth would fall into their properties,” she added.

Meanwhile, Crystal Saus, a resident in the area, believes that the overgrowth problem would need a permanent solution.

“The trees and grass were so overgrown that it was pushing out our wall. I had to put in a fence to keep my dogs in the yard. I don’t think it is acceptable that we live this way,” she said.

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