Fall Alley Sweep seeks to help clean up south Cape Girardeau

A group of volunteers led by Ward 1 Councilman Joe Uzoaru will embark on a "Fall Alley Sweep" starting Thursday to help clean up Cape Girardeau's south-side yards and alleys.

Preceding the sweep, city public works crews are scheduled to pick up trash in the neighborhood today.

Deputy city manager Molly Hood said, "We are asking people to put everything by the curb."

Hood said the trash removal will be in addition to regular trash collection.

The targeted area extends from South Benton Street on the west to South Sprigg Street on the east, and from just south of Highway 74 south to Hackberry Street, organizers said.

Volunteers will look to remove brush, vegetation and trash along the alleys and streets over a three-day period, starting at 9 a.m. Thursday in the 800 block of Locust Street and running through Saturday.

City crews then will collect the yard waste and other trash early next week, deputy city manager Molly Hood said.

Uzoaru wrote in an email to the Southeast Missourian the cleanup effort was suggested by south-side residents at a neighborhood development meeting who wanted to see "improved backyard and alley maintenance."

The councilman said the cleanup effort "fits well with the goals" of the neighborhood development initiative, a resident-based program assisted by the city government to improve neighborhoods.

Uzoaru said members of area churches will be among the volunteers for the alley sweep.

The work will include "trimming trees, removing neglected fences and picking up trash," Uzoaru said in the email.

"I feel that this type of work is desperately needed not just in this neighborhood, but several in our community, and hope that we will be able to replicate the project in the near future," he said.

Uzoaru wrote, "After years of deferred maintenance, a project like this will have a lasting impact on the neighborhood, encouraging increased property maintenance, improving property values and homeownership rates, and fostering new relationships among the residents."

Uzoaru said he initially considered organizing a cleanup effort for next spring, but Mayor Harry Rediger urged him to move ahead with the project now.

"It just seemed like the iron is hot, so to speak," Rediger said, citing recent efforts and discussions to improve the south part of the city.

If successful, the project might be expanded to other neighborhoods next year, he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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