Locals Cleans Up Matthew Henson Neighborhood For Clean Up Day

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- "Our community, our responsibility" --  that's the motto of many residents in West Baltimore's Matthew Henson neighborhood as they lead the way, with 200 locations in Baltimore City taking part cleaning up their communities.

It's Clean Up Day in Baltimore and folks in West Baltimore didn't waste time getting started.

The area, once known as the neighborhood of the arrest of Freddie Gray, is looking to change what people think of this community and what it looks like.

"We've had some real challenges in this neighborhood. Thanks to the mayor's support of what we're doing here, neighbors right now within the past few days are saying, the community really needs to turn things around; the city does care about what we're doing and we just got to keep it up," said Marvin Cheatham, President of Matthew Henson Neighborhood Association.

Saturday morning and afternoon, 200 locations throughout the city were part of the fall cleanup, with volunteers getting dirty to beautify the place they call home.

"When the community embraces it, the community will maintain it and the community has taken the ownership," said Dale Thompson, Deputy Director of City of Baltimore Public Works.

A once empty lot in the 1400 block of McKean Avenue could soon be home to a park, entertainment village and more.

"When people see us coming out in force, it sends a very strong message that, we have a clear priority for clean neighborhoods. It helps us to attract residents [to] our city and it also helps those residents who are here and want to stay," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

For leaf season if you call 311, you can get a special pick-up of up to 20 bags full of raked leaves. On your regular trash pick-up days, the bag limit is 5.

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