Hyde St cleanup hailed a success

Students may be asked to hit Dunedin streets with brush and shovel more often, because of the success of a cleanup operation after last month's Hyde St keg party.

Dunedin City Council staff joined forces with the University of Otago proctor's office, Campus Watch and students before the March 19 street party to organise a cleaning blitz for the morning after.

The notorious annual street party this year attracted more than 2000 revellers, and firefighters were kept busy dousing burning couches, mattresses and piles of rubbish, while police made seven arrests at the scene.

However, after an assessment of how the cleanup operation had run, council staff yesterday praised students living on the street for their cleaning efforts, and said similar cleanups could follow future student events.

Up to 60 bleary-eyed students had emerged from their Hyde St flats to clean the street shortly after 8am the day after the party, and by early afternoon the road was clear of rubbish and able to be reopened.

Council transportation operations assistant contract supervisor Suzanne Donaldson said their efforts - supervised by council and Campus Watch staff - were impressive.

"We were just there to make sure that everyone came out and did their bit, and boy did they ... They just got stuck into it. Everyone was on a broom or shovel at some stage of the day."

The new approach was devised after contractors arriving at Castle St after last year's street party had been caught by surprise by large volumes of rubbish, and spent hours working to clear the road.

As a result, council staff had considered simply closing Hyde St for last month's party and keeping it closed until the mess was cleared by residents.

However, after consulting the university, the plan was tweaked to include an organised student cleanup for the morning after, beginning at 9am, Ms Donaldson said.

A letter from the Proctor's office, explaining what was expected, was hand-delivered to all flats on the street by Ms Donaldson and Campus Watch staff.

Students were warned they would be woken at 9am to begin work, and were expected to tidy their own front yards, and the footpath and street in front, to share the work around, she said.

However, most had been busy clearing rubbish under their own steam by 8.30am, and a "party atmosphere" had pervaded throughout.

Ms Donaldson said she did not condone the burning of couches or other reported problems, but the students had at least taken responsibility for cleaning up after themselves.

"Yes, they've had their fun, but they've also cleaned up afterwards, which is all you can hope for, isn't it?"

- chris.morris@odt.co.nz