Volunteers to assist the Houghton community

The Lower Houghton Residents Association (LHRA) encourages Houghton residents to join them in maintaining, protecting and upholding property values in their much-loved neighbourhood looking ahead to 2019.

Chairperson of the LHRA Natalie Webb and a number of her committee members shared their reflections on the year with the Rosebank Killarney Gazette.

The LHRA began 2018 with a new committee, bringing together the energy of a new chairman, new committee members and volunteers. “This has brought a wonderful balance of strength and reserve to get things done and to get people to cooperate,” said Webb.

Another highlight raised by committee member Carolyn Douglas was the implementation of a planning and development team to deal with the rapid increase in development and rezoning applications for Houghton.

Discussing the challenges faced by the association in 2018, Webb drew attention to their need to remain relevant and serve residents. “Since we are volunteers with limited time, it’s important we work on value-adding projects that make a difference. Sometimes the work done doesn’t reach the public stage,” said Webb.

Douglas said, “We found Houghton in the bullseye of the Nodal Review densification programme and they are not willing to let up. As a result, we have had to get a historically apathetic bunch of residents to wake up and stand up for their rights. We embraced the challenge and were surprised at how much support we had. With a little leadership, residents are willing to pull their weight in trying to enforce their constitutional rights and protect their beautiful suburb.”

She added that a further challenge has been some unconventional developers who the LHRA have had to show a strong hand to in order to ensure their full compliance with the law. Working with a team of over-stretched volunteers and having insufficient volunteers has provided an added challenge.

Webb explained that she hopes to make the LHRA more visible in 2019 and encourages residents to help for a season or a project and entrench the idea that the LHRA are stronger together. The association also wishes to form the CPF with members of the community and set up a quarterly community event. Committee member Janice Schekter added that they aim to build a community that is connected in 2019.

Houghton residents are encouraged to get involved by paying their annual donation of R2 000, join the neighbourhood network or help out on a community project.

Schekter said, “The concept of community is essential; it’s about ecosystem stakeholders engaging in various ways – it may be a donation, time contribution, a contribution of specialist skills or pure volunteerism.”

Webb concluded and said, “Make 2019 a year to give a few hours to your community. Make a New Year’s resolution to reach out beyond your boundary wall to your neighbourhood. Don’t complain about your life in SA until you put your hand up to help somewhere! You don’t need any special skill set… nothing will disqualify you from helping.”

Details: Email lhra@premiermerchant.co.za

Related articles:

https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/240645/agm-highlights-need-for-more-contributors/

https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/219054/lhra-needs-more-volunteers/

https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/207449/lower-houghton-is-done-with-shabbiness/