Last Saturday, volunteers from both Colton and Grand Terrace joined forces to clean up the busy La Cadena corridor. For the third year, Dr.G, Council Member, and Mayor Mr. Bill Hussey led a group of volunteers from both cities who wanted to make a difference in our community.
The target area was a stretch of land along So. La Cadena Dr., east side, which borders both Colton and Grand Terrace. This area is a great choice for a collaborative effort because of its location and the fact that it’s used by both cities. Additionally, traffic from nearby cities use this corridor for making deliveries, commuting, transporting, and everything else. “It a busy thoroughfare, and with this much traffic, the trash builds up,” says Rodney Spencer, one of the volunteers.
When clean-up day began, two teams were created which started at each end of the span between Litton Ave and Barton Road. The 6:00 am starting time was a good choice as there was less traffic, and the cooler weather provided excellent working conditions. Of course, there was plenty of water, gloves, and sanitizer for the crew, in addition to masks for those who wanted the added protection. With bags, safety vests, and lots of sweat the community clean-up project was completed in about two hours and yielded about 45-50 bags of trash. “This was an excellent activity that brought both communities together,” exclaimed Mayor Hussey. One of the regular volunteers, Norma Gallardo also commented, “I like helping the community,” and added, “This kind of activity makes the streets look better.”
The CITY TALK clean-up efforts over the years have continued to evolve, and this annual project is an excellent example of residents collaborating together with elected officials to help make a difference. The idea for this collaboration came up three years ago when Dr.G approached Mayor Hussey to discuss the possibility of community activity. Both elected officials felt that the clean-up project was a great choice as it not only involves both communities but benefits them as well. As a result, the corridor looks nice.
Local residents are also happy with this community effort and have contacted both Dr. G and Mayor Hussey voicing their approval. Tish Baden, a nearby resident commented, “The project was a good one because it contributed to the beautification of the cities, and demonstrated that coming together makes both communities better.”
No matter how you look at this project, it’s a win-win-win-win situation. Colton participates, Grand Terrace participates, the drivers have a clean street path, and the residents benefit by having a cleaned-up area near their homes. Hopefully, this collaboration idea will continue and possibly catch on, but for now, “it’s always nice to have clean streets and pathways,” said resident Christina Perris.
For more information about CITY TALK, various community groups, Colton history, the trash clean-up project, the G-Team, prayer list, history briefs, Veteran Spotlight, Church Spotlight, Business Spotlight, U.S. Flag Watch, neighborhood meetings, community projects, and events, or the online live-stream programs, contact Dr.G @ 909-213-3730. Questions and comments are always welcome.