Moot community members have been commended for taking the initiative and cleaning up the notorious Trim Park.
More than 15 members of the community embarked on a clean-up drive on Saturday, which marked World Clean-up Day celebrations.
World Clean-up Day is commemorated annually on 19 September.
“It makes me proud to see our people making such an effort just to make our park looks better,” resident Charl Strydom said.
He, however, expressed frustration over what he described as the deterioration of the park at the hands of a large group of homeless people and criminals.
“People stay here and they do not clean up.”
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The clean-up drive, led by former local ward councillor Elmarie Linde, saw residents collecting various objects, including bottles, plastics and papers from the grass.
They also cleaned the water stream that crosses in the middle of the park.
Linde said they decided to take part in the World Clean-up celebration to conserve the environment.
“It is necessary for all of us to live in a clean environment.”
She echoed Strydom’s disappointment with people who contribute to the untidiness of the park.
“Unfortunately we have people who litter and leave their waste around. That makes the environment hazardous.”
She urged the park users to keep the area clean and throw their waste into provided bins.
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Sharing her memories of the park, she said the Trim Park had been an area where people could exercise, have picnics under the beautiful trees and enjoy nature.
“There was some outdoor gym equipment and the place was beautiful.”
She said the state of the park had, however, deteriorated over the years as a result of crime and litter.
The park had been invaded by a lot of homeless people and criminals stole all the park’s gym equipment and even the fence around it, Linde said.
She said the park has recently become known as a drug hotspot.
Moot police spokesperson Captain Anton Breedt confirmed that the park had a crime problem.
“We have made several drug-related arrests at the park,” Captain Breedt said.
He said the arrests were a result of regular joint police operations, which also involved members of the local CPF.
Another problem was that some criminals use the park as a hideout after committing crime in other areas, he said.
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