Enhance La Jolla: MAD takes flight with Girard Ave. clean-up

As promised, early Tuesday morning, clean-up crews in bright yellow vests hit Girard Avenue to begin their work — launching the La Jolla Maintenance Assessment District (MAD)’s first project in The Village. Nissho of California employees picked up trash and pulled overgrown vegetation and weeds from sidewalks and planters.

The La Jolla-based nonprofit board, Enhance La Jolla, will manage the MAD with authority to 1) “enhance” City-provided services including landscape maintenance, street and sidewalk cleaning, litter and graffiti abatement, plus additional trash collection and 2) privately fund and complete capital improvement projects in public spaces, such as upgraded trash cans, bench installation, signage augmentation, park improvements, more public art and tree canopies on main thoroughfares.

The first services will be funded through assessments; the second through private donations.

At the roll-out, Enhance La Jolla president Ed Witt thanked board members, the La Jolla Community Foundation and District 1 City Council member Barbara Bry for their help getting to this point.

“Today, at this moment, we begin the work that has taken so many La Jollans’ time and treasure,” he said. “From trash pick-up, graffiti control, power washing sidewalks and trash receptacles, and landscaping, we promise you things are going to change. What we want to do as an organization is to make a difference in the community so we all have a better place to live, to play and to work. Today we are memorializing this big event. Thank you for your support to everyone involved, now it is time to begin the work!”

Going forward, as previously reported in the Light, two people will pick up litter in The Village, seven days a week, on a permanent basis. In addition to litter abatement, Nissho will provide supplemental trash collection, initially on Saturdays and Sundays, with opportunities to increase service; and provide landscape maintenance. Urban Corps of San Diego County will power-wash sidewalks and trash receptacles once a year. More power-washings may occur as added funds become available.

— To learn more, visit enhancelajolla.org