TFC students beautify Broad Street underpass

A rather large vine (seen above) is heading to the city compost, and the Broad Street underpass restoration project is back on track.

On Tuesday, August 19, around 20 TFC College Freshmen donated two hours to Main Street Toccoa's beautification efforts. In addition to pulling Kudzu off the Stephens County Market Building fence, the volunteers picked up trash and helped with landscaping efforts at the underpass.

A gateway to the downtown district, the Broad Street underpass has been one of this year's focus for Main Street Toccoa. The underpass was a focus during Keep Toccoa Stephens County Beautiful's (KTSCB) Great American Cleanup Campaign in April. Pressure washing services for the underpass has been donated by POWER FORCE Pressure Washing of Toccoa.

Jerry Valenzuela, of VNC Landscaping in Toccoa, led the landscaping effort. Trash bags and safety vests were provided by KTSCB.

The vine had grown around the hand railing, so Jerry and the TFC volunteers first cut away the portion that was wrapped around the side of the railing. The vine was then pushed down to the street below where volunteers could cut the bottom away and haul the branches to a place where Toccoa Public Works could pick up the brush and take it to the city compost.

On Wednesday, August 19, TFC volunteers will finish removing the vines off the underpass. Removing this vine will allow Jonathan Neely, of POWER FORCE Pressure Washing to complete the cleaning of this historic underpass.

Main Street Toccoa is currently looking for a licensed electrician to volunteer time to re-wire the lights under this historic underpass. There is also need for landscaping the median near the underpass.