Greenside’s first ever community “Green Day”

The Greenside Residents’ Association (GRA) is organising Greenside’s first ever community “Green Day”. The family fun day, to be held on Saturday, February 22, will aim to build a spirit of community among neighbours and to build on initiatives to keep the suburb clean and vibrant.

Greenside residents, local school learners and the local registered NPO, Let’s Work, will all take part in cleaning and smartening up Sir Lionel Phillips park, above Pirates Club.

“We want to create a day that encourages Greenside residents and local businesses to get to know each other, build pride in our neighbourhood and create a sense of community,” said Judith Ancer, GRA chairperson. “We are calling on community members to come and meet each other and enjoy the day, while putting something back into our area.”

Some of the cleaning activities that will be done on the day include picking up litter, painting the park’s jungle gym and treating the wooden poles with creosote.

“Green Day is also an opportunity for local school children to earn community service hours,” says Ancer

Green Day will not just be about hard work. Residents can look forward to enjoying each other’s company, while various food vendors – from pancakes to coffee, mocktails and burgers, will be available. Children can work off some energy on the jumping castle or learn how to use the gym equipment, while both adults and children will be able to try out yoga, martial arts, core strengthening and self-defence training.

For those concerned about the damage being done to Johannesburg’s trees by the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer, representatives of the Johannesburg Urban Forest Alliance (JUFA) will be available to discuss the issues and to take residents on a walk through the park to show how to identify trees that have been infected.

CAP Security will be on hand to discuss their efforts to keep Greenside safe, and to showcase their dog unit.

Green Day will also be an opportunity for residents to renew their GRA membership, collect multi-event car passes for 2020. Local Ward Councillor, Bridget Steer will also be on hand to answer any questions residents may have.  

The GRA was reconstituted, after some years of decline, in December 2018 and the committee has been working hard to build membership, represent the concerns and needs of residents, encourage authorities to enforce by-laws, initiate community improvement projects and to build relationships with local businesses.

“We are lucky to live or work in a beautiful leafy suburb, with a vibrant diverse community. The GRA is putting a lot of effort into building community spirit and would like to raise more awareness of the good work we are doing on behalf of Greenside residents,” says Ancer.

One such initiative is led by the GRA with Let’s Work, which offers homeless people regular paid work cleaning up streets and parks, collecting litter and clearing vegetation and cutting grass.  A team of five workers cleans Greenside’s parks, road reserves and pavements along some of the main roads every second week. The GRA funds this together with some donations from community members.

Green Day takes place at Sir Lionel Phillips park (above Pirates, on Cruden Bay Rd, parking available at Pirates – entrance on Braeside Rd) on 22 February 2020 from 10am to 1pm.

For more information email info@gra.org.za or check out our Facebook page “Greenside Residents Association”