
People from across the city showed up at the Studioplex Lofts off Auburn Avenue early Saturday morning to take part in the Beltline Earth Day cleanup.
Volunteers arrived at 8:00am to sign in, get their free t-shirt, a pair of gloves and get to work clearing off a section of track from Freedom Parkway to DeKalb Avenue.
Workers, armed with trash grabbers, saws, shears and loppers were sectioned into groups and split off to opposite sides of Auburn Avenue to each tackle assigned portions of the pathway. The goal was to create a viable walking path between Inman and Piedmont parks that people will feel safe using.
Everyone enjoyed the fair weather and worked diligently for four hours cleaning everything from beer bottles and tennis shoes to mattresses and arm chairs. Others cut down overgrown trees and kudzu to make a clear path along the two parallel train tracks.
People of all ages, races and parts of the city were out in full force to do their part, hauling wheelbarrows of brush and assorted debris to dumpsters set up along the path.
A local radio station, KISS 104.1, set up along Auburn Avenue to pump out tunes for volunteers and City Councilman Kwanza Hall dropped in to show his support for the effort.
Afterwards, volunteers gathered at the Water Tower across from Studioplex to enjoy a free lunch and enjoy the music courtesy of KISS FM.
Below is a slideshow of the event put together from pictures taken by yours truly.