Park visitors violate bylaws

Residents living near Horwood’s Farm in Edenvale complained about the noise coming from the park during an event, which hosted a large crowd on October 4.

The NEWS was inundated with complaints following the event which allegedly hosted about 200 people.

Edenvale resident, Ms Sharon Lendrum-Frittelli, said loud music could be heard.

Ms Lendrum-Frittelli, who is a member of the Friends of Horwood’s Farm and Poster Busters, said loud boom boxes can regularly be heard from the park and when she previously approached the guards, she was told that they are not employed to control the people but merely to protect the property.

“So why is the Homestead building in such a state of systematic dramatic decline? The palisade is being removed piece by piece, the majority of the windows have been broken, the brass plaque and post box have been stolen and there is a large contingent of squatters residing on the eastern side of the spruit.

“This is allowed to continue under the noses of the guards,” she said.

“I am more than certain that these visitors to our park last week were not from the area and it is disheartening that people can be allowed to invade our area and treat the facility with absolute impunity.

“There are two bylaws that are not being adhered to on any weekend – alcohol is not permitted on the premises and vehicles may not be driven onto the grassed areas at any time,” said Ms Lendrum-Fittelli.

She said the boom on the Horwood Street side is meant to be locked at all times to prevent parking on the grassed space.

“We have worked extremely hard to bring this public facility back to a reasonable standard, where families once again bring their children to picnic and residents walk their dogs or merely sit on a bench and read a book.

“We need proper and meaningful policing of this area on a regular basis,” she said.

The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) spokesperson, Mr Themba Gadebe, said Horwood’s Farm is a public facility that is open to all community members and has security guards that are looking after the facility.

“If the users want to use a park for a specific purpose and are exceeding a group of 150, they need to book and get permission if the suspension of some by-laws is required. They also need to sign an indemnity form,” he said.

He also said that there is signage at the entrance with guidelines of what is allowed and not permissible in the park.

“The party that took place at Horwood’s Farm was not permitted by the EMM and there is no booking that was made for such,” said Mr Gadebe.

Bylaws

He said that for the rules and regulations of Horwood’s Farm usage, the following bylaws for parks and open spaces apply:

•  Control of parks: all land laid out, or which may hereafter be laid out or proclaimed as public parks within the council, will be maintained and used solely for the purpose for which it was laid out or otherwise reserved.
•  Personal behaviour: In keeping with Chapter 2 of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, no person will be allowed to do anything which may endanger or be deemed a nuisance, objectionable or an annoyance to the public. People will not obstruct, disturb, interrupt or annoy any person in the proper use of any park, make a nuisance of themselves by the consumption of alcohol or other intoxicating substances.
•  Damage: No person will deposit or leave any refuse, rubbish, paper, dead or other matter or things in the park, other than in the place provided for such matter; wash clothes or other things in any pond, fountain or ornamental water feature, stream, river or otherwise pollute any water therein.
•  Entertainment: No person will play or make sounds on any musical instrument except with the prior written consent of the council.
•  Vehicles: No person will park a motor vehicle or motor cycle, motor quadracycle or motor tricycle in a park at any other place than at the parking areas specially set aside for parking.

Anyone in contravention of these bylaws will be penalised.