Community helps beautify public facilities

The staff of the burned down Henties Bay Spar, which is being rebuilt, joined hands to beautify the public garden located at the town's post office.

Spar was destroyed by a fire earlier this year, but the foundations for the new building have been cast, and hopes are that the shop will once again serve its community as from December, according to owner, Johan Aggenbach. There are about 70 workers who are still getting paid while they are doing charity work.

In the meantime though, the staff, with the assistance of Daleen Aggenbach, put their green-fingers together to remove the weeds, and fix up the grass, plants and rocks, with some cutting here, pruning there, planting everywhere. The result: a tidy public garden along Henties Bay's main road, for all to enjoy.

Aggenbach said that the assistance received from businesses was amazing.

"What you went through doesn't discourage you from continuing with your community social upliftment programmes, that in itself illustrates how genuine you are in your being. Keep up doing the good work; we really need societal developmental partners like you. . . Thumps up!" Henties Bay councillor Michael Skini commented in a social media post.

The town's mayor, Lewies Vermaak said that the town is grateful to the Spar team for "doing something like this for the town of Henties Bay" – and doing it for free – from their own pockets.

Next inline will be the police station, and besides the garden there, a fresh coat of paint will also be at the order of the day soon, according to Vermaak. Spar and its staff will facilitate that project too.

Vermaak's role is to serve as facilitator between a community initiative and a public service, considering the bureaucracy that can get in the way.