Building Better Neighborhoods volunteers clean up Cleveland street

CLEVELAND - NewsChannel5's Building Better Neighborhoods initiative is embarked on it's fifth neighborhood volunteer improvement project on West 30 Street in Cleveland.

The effort was centered in Cleveland's Ward 14, a community that's still plagued by more than 700 vacant houses.

Cleveland Councilman Brian Cummins, the Stockyard, Clark-Fulton & Brooklyn Centre Community Development Office, Rebuilding Together, and NewsChannel5's Building Better Neighborhoods, teamed up on Friday.

The event involved the improvement of 16 homes in the neighborhood, and parts of Lincoln West High School across the street.

Volunteers from the neighborhood, Lincoln West High School, and WEWS, took down high weeds, picked up trash, and replaced old landscaping, during the day long clean-up.

"This will be a great boost for this neighborhood," said Cummins. "This is a great way to get residents directly involved in making their neighborhood better and safer."

This is the first Building Better Neighborhoods event that will activate students, and Lincoln West High School Principal Maria Carlson is pleased students will be involved.

"The students jumped at the chance, they love the neighborhood they live in," said Carlson. "They want to improve the neighborhood they love, and they're willing to do whatever it takes to make those improvements."

The day long event featured the live demolition of two condemned homes on NewsChannel5 at noon. The demolitions were conducted by the Cuyahoga County Land Bank, and Cleveland's Department of Building and Housing.

The volunteer effort was led by NewsChannel5 anchor Chris Flanagan, who reported from the clean up site.

Landscaping plants for the street clean-up were provide Petitti Garden Centers, and lunch for the volunteers wias be delivered by Papa John's Pizza.

Mulch and top soil for the event were coordinated by Keith Rogers, and provided by Cook Paving and Cleveland's R&R Contracting.

Meanwhile, NewsChannel5 is also trying to spark volunteerism and help make a difference when it comes to vacant and condemned properties.

We're inviting residents to report nuisance properties through our Building Better Neighborhood initiative.

Just send us pictures and information on vacant homes in your neighborhood and we'll forward the information to your city building department, in an effort to move the properties to progress.

We are also giving residents information on how they can volunteer in their neighborhoods to make them better. Those interested in starting a volunteer effort in their neighborhood should contact Hands on Northeast Ohio for more information.