The work of the Westdene Neighbourhood Association (WNA) has gained momentum, especially with the appointment of a board of directors and Marina van der Walt as director and general manager.
The WNA held its first general meeting on 11 December, where the management gave feedback on the vision and achievements of the association.
Sophocles Kleovoulou, chairman of the board, said he grew up in Westdene and has a strong fondness for the suburb.
“Westdene is known for its picturesque tree-lined streets, charming architecture and welcoming community. It is a community that maintained its unique character despite the rapid modernisation of the city around it,” he says.
“With support from local businesses and the wider community, I believe we can achieve even greater success and make an even bigger impact.”
Van der Walt said big strides have been made to grow the membership of the WNA. The association started with 55 members in September 2022, and by November this year it had 155 members.
“Many of these include big businesses in the area like the hospital and the school. Still, only 15% of businesses belong to the WNA and we would love all to be part of this great initiative.”
She says there are 733 businesses and 241 residential properties in Westdene.
Some of the projects that have been tackled by the WNA is the removing of vagrants from public spaces; the clean-up of illegal structures in Happy Valley and the open field in Second Avenue; and several successful arrests of suspects in Westdene.
The WNA board is passionate to get the neighbourhood crime free.
“The sale of alcohol and cannabis near schools can have a negative impact on young people. It is important to put strict measures in place to regulate this,” Van der Walt said, talking about the focus areas of the association.
“We ask for zoning laws to be enforced and strict penalties for violators. By working together, we can create a safer and healthier environment for our children.”
Van der Walt says illegal drinking, alleged drug dealing and loud music is a major nuisance. They are now negotiating to fence off the open field at the intersection of Second Avenue and Kellner Street to provide secure parking to paying customers.
“This will be a good step towards reducing the occurrences of these illegal activities.”
She says one of the huge challenges is the absence of drop-in shelters for peope who are living on the streets.
“We know drop-in shelters are not a permanent solution, but it can provide temporary relief and support for homeless individuals.”
The WNA is known for the work done in cleaning the neighbourhood. Refuse removal is done weekly with the help of Anchor of Hope. The services were previously only focused in the business area, but was also extended to Brebner, Reyger and Connor Roads.
Van der Walt said the board was, however, considering only doing refuse removal for paid members in future.
The WNA also adopted and improved four parks, pruned long grass along First Avenue that created dangerous conditions for motorsits and cleaned other areas.
Together with Raubex they regulary repair potholes in roads in Westdene and also undertook to paint several streets to improve the safety of both drivers and pedestrians. Stop signs were erected at important intersections.
Van der Walt said the WNA are also taking hands and helping nearby neighbourhoods. They painted street signs around Emily Hobhouse Square, for example.
Along with assistance from government and local authorities, around 30 illegal structures were removed from Happy Valley.
Kleovoulou urges the businesses in Westdene that are not already part of the WNA, to join in to fight the big battles like rates and taxes, which has a huge impact on the wider community.
“Financial contributions from local businesses can go a long way in helping to fund initiatives that support economic growth and improve the quality of life in our community,” he said.
