Austin residents celebrated Earth Day last weekend by cleaning up their neighborhood.
Events took place throughout the community, including at Sayer Park in north Austin and LaFollette Park at Laramie and Potomac. Central Avenue and Lake Street also got a makeover.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford (hosted the Central and Lake cleanup April 22. A small group of residents came out to sweep the curbs, sidewalks and vacant lots.
Austin’s Earth Day cleanup also included residents from neighboring Oak Park who wanted to help, Ford said.
Central and Lake has been in the news earlier this month for a daytime shooting that occurred near the intersection that left one dead and five injured. Ford said the location was chosen because of that incident, which involved six victims shot in what police said was a drive-by.
“Clean neighborhoods sends the message that we want better neighborhoods,” Ford said.