Team Up to Clean Up Topeka is an initiative started by the City of Topeka in May 2018. City departments worked with the Historic Old Town Neighborhood Improvement Association, partnering organizations and several volunteers to clean up the neighborhood, offer assistance and provide services to the neighbors. There was an incredible amount of work that went into the Historic Old Town Neighborhood during the month of May and the accomplishments were numerous.
The focus of the Historic Old Town Neighborhood, Team Up to Clean Up Topeka effort was the area of 6th to 10th street and from Topeka Blvd to Washburn Ave. Each City department reported the accomplishments that they made during May in the neighborhood.
An interactive and full report of the projects that were completed during the Team Up to Clean Up Topeka, Historic Old Town Neighborhood can be found here: http://teamupcleanup-topeka.opendata.arcgis.com/
Here are some highlights of the projects completed during Team Up to Clean Up Topeka, Historic Old Town Neighborhood, May 2018.
Utilities Department:
o Completed preventative maintenance on 78 hydrants
o Tested water hydrants and replaced old or defective units
o Broken or damaged water meter boxes and valves were replaced
o Conducted 459 storm inlet inspections and cleanings
Transportation Operations:
o Allocated $39,836 in resources to remove 9,113 square yards of asphalt from streets to uncover and rehabilitate the brick streets
o The city will now assess and address the sidewalks and driveways for ADA compliance
o Traffic replaced 345 signs and posts
Planning and Development Services
o The Planning Department and Development Services division dedicated a Zoning Inspector to identify and address issues
o A brick sidewalk survey was completed to evaluate the conditions of sidewalks in the area Forestry
o Removed nine trees and clear 17 alleys of vegetation.
Property Maintenance Department
o Dedicated over 210 staff hours in the neighborhood and worked with Topeka Police and Fire to address safety issues
o Issued over three hundred citations that included housing, weed, sanitation and vehicle citations
Fire Department
o Walked door to door to hand out applications for free smoke detector installations, which were donated by the Red Cross and installed by the Topeka Fire Department
o Hands Only CPR instructions were offered throughout the neighborhood
o Developed a plan with the Property Maintenance Division to address vacant or previously burned structures.
Police Department
o Officers worked to address concerns in the neighborhoods such as vacant structures, suspicious vehicles and traffic enforcement
Community Engagement Division
o With the help of 25 volunteers, over 10 partnering agencies and neighbors, various organizations and volunteer groups, the Community Engagement division of the Department of Neighborhood Relations used a walking tour and hosted a meeting to share information and offer assistance and resources for the Team-Up to Clean-Up Topeka initiative in the Historic Old Town neighborhood.
o The Rock the Block Trash Pick-Up activity took place in the intensive care area of the neighborhood and was comprised of 4 volunteers that worked collecting disposed debris from streets, alleys and the yards of neighbors. Other groups spent approximately 10 hours of time dedicated to cleaning up alley ways from debris and objects.
o Community Engagement partnered with the Topeka Habitat for Humanity to identify potential projects in a Walk-n-Talk activity around the intensive care area of the neighborhood. The partnering organizations identified a homeowner and property that qualified for the assistance in reconstructing a front porch, which took 8 volunteers approximately 8 hours to complete.
The Kansas Gas Service donated housing numbers for homes that did not have them and Westar Energy upgraded the neighborhood street lighting with LED lights.
Team Up to Clean Up Topeka, Central Park neighborhood is the next neighborhood to have a targeted effort throughout the months of July and August.
For further information on partnering with the City for Team Up to Clean Up or for a list of partners involved please contact Sasha Haehn Director of Neighborhood Relations at (785) 368-3711 or sstiles@topeka.org .
