Green fingers in Douglasdale
DOUGLASDALE - Members of the Douglasdale Business Forum came together on 29 November to bring some much-needed love to the sidewalks of Douglasdale.
The struggling pavement garden on the corner of Witkoppen and Douglas drives opposite the Douglasdale Police Station underwent a transformation to discourage grime and crime in the area. The almost seven-hour project, took 30 people to completely transform the decaying and dry area. Susan Mottram, chairperson of the forum was present on the day and got stuck right in, with planting and cleaning up litter in the area. “This is very much a team effort, we have had almost R20 000 in donations in aid of uplifting and beautifying spaces in Douglasdale,” said Mottram.
She added Montecasino, Pick n Pay Douglasdale, Pretty Gardens, Distinctive Landscaping, members of the Douglasdale CPF, Servest Landscaping, ADT Security and the general public donated plants and time to make the day a success including, Douglas Philips from Hogshead restaurant, Douglasdale; Mandie and Alan Gibbon of Village Craft Market Douglasdale; Ravi Govender, the owner of Total Garage, Douglasdale; Bonnie Meyer from ChilliMoon Design; and Ruth Fleming, a Ward 115 committee member.
Members of the ward committee for Ward 115 also helped to clean and green the area, including ward councillor Chris Santana. “This is a great example of how a community can come together and work towards a goal. Statistically clean areas and environments prove to be a safer community to live in,” said Santana. According to Mottram, the garden will be maintained and watered by Norscot Slopes residents, Kim and Graham Stevens.
She went onto say that any members of the community who have spare plants should feel to plant them in the communal garden. As the head of the environment portfolio on the ward committee and a resident of Douglasdale she would like to see this project continue to run.
