Streets band together to clean up

A neighbourhood that cleans together is safer together.

That is the goal of a Police and Safer Communities Marlborough project which aims to clean up streets in Blenheim with the help of residents, church volunteers and other community groups. The aim is to reduce crime rates around Blenheim.

Gardiner and Henderson streets in Riversdale were the focus of a massive cleanup at the weekend, with residents and volunteers trimming hedges, pulling weeds and tidying up the houses.

Work on began on Thursday and is expected to finish on Wednesday but most work was done at the weekend.

Safer Communities Marlborough manager Paul Johnson said the streets were the second of six to get the treatment.

Elizabeth St was the first project in September, but there had been trials in Dix Cres in 2008 and Girling Ave in 2009.

Crime rates in Dix Cres had dropped 41 per cent in the year after the work, Mr Johnson said.

The community spirit was evident on Gardiner and Henderson streets on Saturday as about 60 people kept working through the day despite heavy rain.

They were warmed up and fed with free food and hot drinks.

Mr Johnson said if people knew their neighbours, crimes rates tended to drop and if a place looked like it was cared for it created a community spirit.

Senior Constable Russ Smith, of Blenheim, said the project was about people taking pride in their community. He had seen neighbours meeting each other for the first time and neighbours doing things for others.

Hemi Te Pania was one of the volunteers helping out and paying back a good deed.

Mr Te Pania lives on Dix Cres and said he had come to help his neighbours around the corner.

"I thought I'd come over and give them a hand. They did good on Dix Cres. Why not give them a hand?"

He had noticed a difference in Dix Cres since it was cleaned up.

"A lot of people are keeping their sections tidy now," he said.

Rose Tamati, who lives on Gardiner St, said she knew some of her neighbours but more people were talking and getting to know one another.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 11:25 14/11/2011

BEN CURRAN/Fairfax NZ

On top of it: Dave Oliver loads hedge trimmings on to a trailer as part of the community cleanup, which involved neighbours getting to know each other and co-operating.