Keeping our city clean is a task we all share
Spring has finally taken hold on the area, and the cold of Ole Man Winter is becoming a memory. With the warmer weather comes the annual rite of the season: spring cleaning.
Last week, the city offered its bulk trash collection, and we note that many households took advantage of the opportunity, culling out old furniture and clutter. But it doesn’t stop there.
Each year we note that the majority of the city’s homeowners and renters take great pride in sprucing up their living areas. This pride manifests itself not only in lawn and grounds care, but in making the exteriors of their domiciles clean and more presentable.
There are others, unfortunately, who do not take as much pride in their surroundings or in their properties. The letters that come to our Gripe Vine column are a perfect example of this. Neighbors complain about cars parked on front lawns or used as a repair facility, some complain of overgrown grass and unrepaired fences that bring down the look of areas.
The city provides the means for people to rid themselves of the clutter of everyday life, or to get rid of the waste that comes from home repairs and upgrades. That is what bulk trash collection is meant to accomplish. But the city is not the only vehicle for keeping things clean. Residents have to do their part.
We note, for example, that people have put their television sets out for collection. The city has not collected TVs in almost a decade, and residents are responsible for disposing the appliances. Yet, we see television sets out on the curbs, and they will not be collected by city crews – nor should they.
Merchants and business owners are another group that can be parsed into those who take pride in what their surroundings look like, and those who don’t. Again, city crews have been out for the last few weeks, sweeping streets, and trash bins are reviewed each day for collection.
Many business owners take the initiative to make sure the areas in front of their shops are swept and clean, while others seem to think that is not part of the manner of doing business.
This has nothing to do with the city’s financial situation, but everything to do with our perception of what it is to be a good neighbor.
West Haven is our home. We should each do our parts to make the city presentable, and build pride in our community. These are little things, but little things help make the larger picture a better one.
Help the city and your neighbors. Keep your homes and businesses clean and presentable. The benefits are financial and higher property values, aesthetic in better looking neighborhoods, and psychological, with everyone feeling better about themselves and their community.