Toolbox revives local park
Even though the park does not look exactly like what it used to before, residents can breathe a sigh of relief now that it has received the necessary attention it was in desperate need of.
The Toolbox Community Empowerment Hub gave Willow View Park in Sterretjie Street a much needed facelift on Tuesday, January 22. The park, which had been overtaken by overgrown vegetation and fallen trees due to constant rains in the past weeks, was restored to beauty during this clean-up.
The sidewalks, once buried under thick grass, were cleared and two large fallen trees were removed by the Toolbox volunteers. This transformed the park from a neglected bush into an inviting space. The hub’s manager, Andrew Holdsworth, expressed gratitude to the community for making this cleanup possible. “We don’t receive funding from the government,” he explained.
“We are waiting to hear from the Department of Social Development about potential funding, but for now this entire clean–up was made possible through contributions from community members and the Wilgeheuwel Honeydew Residents Association.”
Learners from Crawford International Ruimsig also rolled up their sleeves and joined the initiative. Their participation was a symbol of community engagement and togetherness. It did not only lighten the workload but also demonstrated the power of teamwork and youth involvement in building and maintaining a better environment.
Andrew went on to explain that one of the main reasons why the clean–up was organised was because the bushy state of the park with overgrown weeping willow trees could be a great hiding spot for criminals, and that could put the residents’ lives in danger as these people would hide there and try to do house break-ins.
As the volunteers continued working, Absolut Security monitored the area, ensuring everyone’s safety.
