Community Cleaners transforms Fairland parks through grassroots action
Residents are pulling together to fund fencing, clear spruits and upgrade play equipment across neighbourhood green spaces.
A park can be more than a patch of grass.
For residents living in complexes without gardens, it can be a place for children to play, neighbours to meet, dogs to run and families to spend time outdoors.
That is why members of Community Cleaners spent Saturday, September 12, working to maintain two Fairland parks – King and Wilson Park and Union Jack Park.
The volunteer group operates across the Fairland, Berario and Northcliff areas, taking on the work of cleaning and maintaining parks that might otherwise go without regular attention.
At King and Wilson Park, the focus was largely on litter, particularly along the two spruits running through the park. While the park itself has improved considerably, Community Cleaners member André Swanepoel said rubbish continues to wash into the river through the stormwater system.
The team cleared litter from the waterways as part of its latest clean-up.
Tackling illegal vehicle access
At Union Jack Park, however, the community’s work has gone beyond picking up rubbish.
The approximately 35 000 m² park – almost the size of five rugby fields – is heavily used by residents for walking dogs, picnics, golf practice and simply enjoying the outdoors.
But its popularity had been undermined by vehicles driving into the park. According to Swanepoel, any given day could see multiple cars entering the park, with some drivers doing wheelies and creating an environment that made families uncomfortable.
Also read: CRUM and City of Joburg entities target illegal dumping and neglected spaces in Westdene
Community Cleaners, with support from residents, decided to tackle the problem themselves. The result was a gum-pole fence installed around the park, preventing vehicles from driving inside.
The project cost about R70 000 and involved about 420 poles, concrete and other materials, as well as the labour of four people over about three weeks. Every cent was donated by the community. “One individual donated 200 poles for the project,” Swanepoel said.
The difference is already visible.
With vehicles kept out, the park is being used more by residents and remains relatively free of the larger litter problem that previously plagued it. A final gate is due to be installed to allow City Parks and Community Cleaners to bring equipment into the park.
Inspiring community investment
And the improvements are beginning to inspire further investment. A resident has offered to donate a large wooden jungle gym, complete with swings, ropes, ladders and benches.
For Swanepoel, it is an example of what can happen when residents decide that their public spaces are worth protecting.
But keeping the parks in good condition is not a once-off project.
Community Cleaners cuts grass at least once a month, collects litter and maintains equipment, all while relying entirely on donations. The group’s monthly operating expenses are around R25 000.
Also read: Fairland dump site clean-up finally gets long-awaited green light
While its WhatsApp group has about 400 members, Swanepoel said only around 20 to 30 regularly participate in physical clean-ups. Another 50 or so contribute through donations. And that, he stressed, is perfectly acceptable.
Not everyone has the time to spend a Saturday cleaning a park. Supporting the work financially or donating equipment is another way of taking ownership. “There are a lot of people who donate equipment or money, which we need desperately to keep running,” he said.
Restoring local facilities
The work is also about looking beyond the immediate clean-up. Community Cleaners is hoping to raise about R45 000 to install a similar fence around the Fairland Koppie, where residents said vehicles are being used to access the area for illegal dumping.
The group is also working through a programme to restore neglected jungle gym equipment in local parks. Of about seven sets identified, two – at Donga Park and King and Wilson Park – have already been maintained, with the remaining equipment to be tackled gradually.
For Swanepoel, the importance of these spaces goes beyond keeping them attractive. In areas where many people live in townhouses and complexes, public parks can effectively become their gardens.
Also read: Brixton Cemetery clean-up uncovers historic stories of women
“This is really their garden so they can get out here, take the kids out,” he said.
Maintaining those spaces, he believes, also helps keep undesirable activity out and encourages residents to use and care for their surroundings.
The work of Community Cleaners is therefore about more than removing litter or cutting grass. It is about showing what can happen when residents stop waiting for someone else to take responsibility and decide that their neighbourhood is worth investing in.
The transformation of Union Jack Park offers a simple lesson: when a community puts something into a public space, it can give people a reason to put something back.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!
