Last weekend the CRA organised a clean-up in Athole Park near Burnside, and the difference is fantastic.
This summer’s unusually high rainfall has made everything grow like mad. While that’s great for gardens, it caused real problems in this section of Athole Park. Overgrown grasses and dense vegetation quickly took over, creating hiding spots and genuine security concerns for residents using the park and nearby roads.
With the help of Friends of Delta and Bubele Africa, the CRA arranged a clean-up of the area. Overgrown grass was cut back, dumping was cleared, and litter was picked up. A total of four truckloads of rubble, rubbish, and vegetation were removed at a cost of R2,000, fully funded by the CRA. We are always grateful for once-off contributions from residents who want to support work like this.
This clean-up marks Phase 1 of a more structured strategy to beautify and reclaim the strip between the Rattray Weir dam wall and Athole Park. This stretch is currently beset with a number of ongoing issues, and the aim is to restore it as a safer, usable public space over time.
The CRA is also supporting the City and working with City Parks and JMPD to address the broader challenges in the area. We were pleased to have support from CAP Security during the clean-up. Cleanups like these contribute directly to the Public Space Protector approach and helps make the suburb safer overall.
We would also like to acknowledge the contributions from the Oerder Park complexes and the newly signed-up complex on Athole Road. Every new signup strengthens our ability to expand these efforts further into the suburb and tackle problem areas proactively rather than reactively.
Below are photos from the clean-up showing just how much was achieved in one weekend, and why ongoing community support really does matter.
Below are photos from the clean-up showing just how much was achieved in one day.
