The Douglasdale Business and Residents Forum needs your help
DOUGLASDALE – Do you want to live in a clean and well-maintained Douglasdale? The Douglasdale Business and Residents Forum needs your help
Susan Mottram and Susan Coulson, who call themselves TeamSusan, from Re/Max Masters, are appealing to business owners and residents who live and work in and around Douglasdale to join them in helping to fund the upliftment of the streets in the area, particularly the suburb’s central business district (CBD).
“We have a platform, the Douglasdale Business and Residents Forum (DBRF), through which we as Douglasdale community members can improve the appearance of our area,” explained Mottram, co-founder and chairperson for the DBRF.
“It has been going since 2015 and its members are among those who helped to plant the gardens on the verges at the intersection of Douglas Drive and Leslie Avenue West in 2008, and have continued to maintain the gardens for 11 years.”
Through sponsorships the DBRF pays two gardeners to litter pick, weed and maintain the verges and traffic islands at this intersection once a week and the two Total garages at that intersection give the gardeners their lunches on the days when they work.
When funds allow, compost and new plants are bought for the gardens.
The DBRF also hosts community clean-ups at the intersection and along the two main roads from time to time.
“The DBRF is now struggling to pay for both gardeners and to maintain the gardens, and we are, therefore, reaching out to other residents and businesses in the area to help us to save these gardens, which contribute towards the CBD looking attractive and maintaining general property values in the area, explained Mottram.
“We would appreciate the extra help tremendously, and we would use the additional funds to not only maintain what we have already established but also to enlarge the existing gardens and extend our cleaning efforts up and down the length of Douglas Drive and Leslie Avenue West.”
“Before we planted the gardens in 2008, the verges were littered, dirty and eroded dust bowls that were starting to be used as parking lots. The gardens have saved the verges from decay and have helped to retain Douglasdale as a sought-after area in which to invest. We would be very sad to see the verges revert to their former condition. We know there are many like-minded people out there and we are hopeful that others will join the green team to help us maintain and improve Douglas Drive and Leslie Avenue West.”
A number of individuals and businesses already contribute to the forum’s work, and you can too.
“We have a bank account for the DBRF that is audited. From a business sponsorship point of view, we are seeking monthly donations of about R500. We would welcome any size monetary donations (once off or monthly) as well as compost and plants (the same type as already planted) from both businesses and residents,” she concluded.
To become involved with the DBRF, please contact Susan Mottram susanm@remax-masters.co.za; 082 465 8718; Ruth Fleming ruthf@absamail.co.za; 082 462 8210; Facebook: @DouglasdaleBRF
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