Former United Bermuda Party candidate Ramadhin Smith has launched an initiative to clean up his old "stumping ground''.

Mr. Smith told The Royal Gazette he decided to implement Operation Middle Town after noticing a drastic decline in the north of Hamilton area which was once a home away from home for him.

"I'm from the Deep Dale Lane area,'' he said. "But I spent a lot of time there, visiting friends. And that area never looked the way it does today. It is tragic.

"The area is really being neglected by everybody, not just the residents.

"With all the bad publicity that Middle Town has been getting, I thought it would be nice to have something positive about the area.'' While Mr. Smith admitted many of the dilapidated buildings in the area were due to owners' neglect, he said the Island as a whole had turned its back on the back of town.

But he said he was hopeful that would change, beginning next month.

Mr. Smith wants Middle Town residents and volunteers from around the Island to join him on September 28 for a major clean-up which will include picking up trash and clearing properties which have become junkyards.

He also wants to get playground equipment for youngsters in the area.

Mr. Smith explained he wanted to clear an overgrown area near homes owned by the Bermuda Housing Corporation to make room for such equipment.

But he estimated it would cost between $10,000 and $15,000 to purchase such equipment.

"So I will be going after international companies and everybody who has money and is willing to help,'' Mr. Smith said. "You have kids playing in the street. It is time to change the trend and show these people that someone cares.'' "I hope that all the exposure I get from this project will be a catalyst to those in other areas of the Island.'' Meanwhile Mr. Smith, who is a member of Sandys Rotary Club, said it had also been suggested the club come up with a way to raise money for the Parson's Road playground which was recently closed after the Pembroke Parish Council ran out of funds for its upkeep.

"Such a big scale project will take a larger community effort than this,'' Mr. Smith said. "It will be something that requires efforts of a larger organisation.'' Rotary president Jan Spiering could not be reached for comment yesterday.

But Julia Dears, matron of the Pembroke Parish Rest Home -- which faces the rundown playground and like the decrepit facility comes under the responsibility of the council -- said she was under the impression Government would be taking over the playground.

"The park rangers were there last week and doing a bit of cleaning up,'' Mrs.

Dears said.

"From what I understand they will be totally gutting it and doing it over again.

"It was a bit too much for us, having to look after residents at the rest home and the playground.

"With it under Parks, they will be able to maintain some supervision. That will be better because that was one of our fears, that children would be over their unsupervised.

"We aim to focus on providing care for the elderly, while the playground will be under the auspices of the Government.'' But when contacted yesterday former Community Affairs director Lowdru Robinson said he knew of no immediate plan to take over the playground.

Middle Town clean up From Page 1 "They have asked us for some assistance in taking over the playground,'' Mr.

Robinson said who now heads Human Affairs.

"They may be getting it confused with a plan by Government to have that whole pond area turned into a park. Once that is completed there is provision for that playground.'' He confirmed park rangers did remove rusty, damaged equipment from the playground last week for safety reasons and repairs were being made to the bathrooms.

But he added: "For the time being it will remain under the council.'' Parks officer Craig Burt said the council had put forward a proposal Government take over.

"But none of that has been finalised,'' he said. "It still has to go before the Permanent Secretary and Works and Engineering Minister.'' Acting Works and Engineering Minister Grant Gibbons could not be reached for comment and Permanent Secretary Stanley Oliver's secretary said Mr. Oliver would not speak to the Press.