Tablelands Regional councillor Con Spanos has praised a growing volunteer movement in Atherton as residents take town beautification into their own hands amid concerns the CBD had fallen into neglect.
The Atherton Enhancement Group (AEG) was formed after a public meeting in December called by Cr Spanos following community frustration that council was not doing enough to maintain the town. More than 80 locals attended the meeting to share concerns and ideas.
Since then, the volunteer group has led monthly working bees across Atherton’s main street, tackling graffiti, litter, garden beds and general maintenance, with more than 60 volunteers involved across recent clean-up sessions.
Cr Spanos told ABC News the initiative reflected strong community sentiment and a shift from online criticism to practical action.
“There was a lot of [negative] social media out there and I just appreciate that they’ve come together now as a group… the ones that have been negative have generally jumped on board,” he said.
He said the effort was “a great, positive reflection of how people feel about their town.”
Resident and AEG member Cathy Duck said locals had grown concerned the CBD had become “untidy” and “uninviting”, describing graffiti, dirty bins and cigarette litter as common sights.
While acknowledging there was “no blame on the council” as “it’s very difficult to constantly maintain things,” she said residents had chosen to act rather than complain.
“Everybody can have a whinge but [we decided to] put our effort into what can we do to make it better, what can we do to improve it and what can we do to be proud of Atherton again,” Duck said.
Business owners have also welcomed the initiative, with third-generation retailer Ben Stratton saying a cleaner main street was essential for local trade and tourism.
“The difficulty in retail is how to get people walking in the door and they’re not walking in your door if they’re not walking your main street,” he said.
The AEG plans to continue monthly clean-ups, supported by local businesses and the Atherton Lions Club, which is providing insurance coverage for the group.
Source: ABC.
