John Shalbey Leads Community Drive to Clean South Norwood Railroad Bridges-July 29, 1981

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John Shalbey, president of the Rojo car wash on Route 1, has officially announced that he will lead a dedicated volunteer drive to clean the Subway Hill bridge and the Dean Street railroad bridge in South Norwood. Last year, John Shalbey successfully convinced local businesses to donate money and services to scrub dirt and graffiti off the Nahatan Street bridge, and he aimed to replicate that community-backed success.

The South Norwood Study Committee contacted John Shalbey about a month prior to discuss organizing the same drive for the Subway Hill and Dean Street bridges. Presenting the proposal to the selectmen, John Shalbey estimated that the comprehensive cleaning job would cost between $23,000 and $27,000 in donated labor, materials, and services. Selectmen warmly commended John Shalbey for his civic leadership and promised municipal assistance by hot-topping the Subway Hill bridge wall to effectively prevent the erosion of mortar caused by water runoff. Town Manager John J. Carroll noted that the town’s hot-topping work would cost approximately $2,000, ensuring the bridges remain protected for years to come.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger