Highland Park Official Wants to Clean Up the Whole City

There are plans in the works for a multi-day, citywide cleanup.

A Highland Park city councilmember wants to see the entire 2.97-square-mile city cleaned up.

Litter and graffiti have been an ongoing issue in the community, but after a truckload of trash was illegally dumped near a church in Councilwoman Deblon Jackson’s district shortly before the Easter holiday, she’s had enough.

“This is ridiculous. We got to do something,” says Jackson.

Jackson hosted a public meeting on Tuesday. Now, Highland Park officials are looking into holding a multi-day cleanup to remove trash and graffiti throughout the city, starting on Woodward Avenue.

“If we had at least 20 people in each district … we could clean up this whole Highland Park very, very quickly,” Jackson says.

Citizens’ patrols to prevent illegal dumping are also being considered for Highland Park, at Jackson’s urging. These types of patrols already exist in some neighborhoods in nearby Detroit. Hear WDET ride along with one of them here.

Highland Park Mayor Hubert Yopp says details still need to be worked out internally for the cleanups and the patrols, if they are to move forward. Officials are tentatively planning to present a beautification plan to the public on May 15. 

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Author

  • Laura Herberg
    Laura Herberg is a Reporter for 101.9 WDET, telling the stories about people inhabiting the Detroit region and the issues that affect us here.