Pioneers Park, a landmark in Springs, is still maintained by over 30 local businesses.
The irony is that the residents of the city will not go to this park with its famous windmill, because there are about 20 people illegally living in the old buildings of the mine shaft.
These old buildings have no windows or doors, as well as no water and facilities for people to live in.
Because of the squatters in the old buildings, the residents and business people feel unsafe to picnic in the park or sit under its trees, as many elderly residents will recall they did ion the old days.
Wilfred Kgasago, spokesman of Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) promised that they will investigate the claims of the squatters and will “certainly take action” if the claims are true.
The Springs Clean initiative, ensuring the cleaning-up of this park is a joint venture between business-owners, the Eastern Gauteng Chamer of Commerce and Industry and Ekurhuleni metro.
This partnership started in September 2011 with the aim to keep some main arterial roads and this “windmill” park maintained.
The labour, done by Derrick Vilakazi and his team is funded by the donations from the group of businesses and the metro provides resources such as paint, refuse drums, black bags and plants.
Vikakazi and his team recently planted five new trees, received from Ekurhuleni on the north eastern border of the park.
Tony da Cruz, a business owner of one of the contributing companies says the aim is that the well-maintained gardens will inspire pride and hope in our town.
On the option of demolishing the shaft to keep unwanted squatters out, both da Cruz and Mary Reynolds, another business owner who supports the project say the cost in doing so will run into millions, which makes it not worth the effort.
Both says the Springs Clean committee has decided to seal the building by sealing it with concrete to stand as a monument of our town’s mining heritage.
“There is a lot of history in this park,” says Reynolds.
She suggested that an entrepreneur opens a mining museum or a restaurant with a tea garden in the buildings.
Reynolds invited more businesses to join the Springs Clean committee in cleaning an maintaining the parks of Springs.
The next meeting is on November 4 at the metro’s local parks department’s offices in Plantation Street.
Reynolds invited interested donors to call Sally at 011 812 6830.
