Arlington's High Park Village got a major cleanup as the local community rallied to remove over 4,360 pounds of litter and debris earlier last month. The haul, which tipped the scales at 2.18 tons, was a collective effort led by Arlington’s Neighborhood Enhancement Team (NET) and involved residents, city departments, and a slew of volunteers, including City Council member Long Pham. The cleanup took place on Nov. 4 and was part of a long-term initiative that has since January 2019 seen roughly 148 tons of waste vanish from the residential areas of Arlington, according to the City of Arlington. Texas.
Long-time residents like Andrea Black were thrilled with the results. Black shared, "This neighborhood event was such a blessing and truly was needed". She praised the city's Tool Sharing Program, which allows residents to borrow rather than buy tools for single-use projects—something to help continue to neatly maintain the community without causing a dent in the wallet, as per the City of Arlington. Texas.
At the event, which was also a block party, five households received special assistance, including yard mowing and tree-trimming where necessary. A selection of 12 different tools was made available through the city's tool-sharing trailer, facilitating residents' efforts to spruce up their properties. One arm-injured resident told the city, "My house looks a hundred percent nicer due to your program," while also expressing a wish to support future clean-ups as a volunteer, per the City of Arlington. Texas.
A fixture at the NET events is David Jackson, a retired librarian who works with the Community Advocating for Prosperity and Opportunity (CAPO). Jackson's contribution involved distributing 80 free children's books, thus extending the community spirit beyond just a physical cleanup. He's become popular for his efforts, which directly benefit the younger residents. As for the hands-on action, further inquiry into the tool-sharing program can be directed to [email protected] or by calling the city's Action Center at 817-459-6777.
