Runners disappointed at CR Swart Park

The condition of the CR Swart Park in Rynfield is not one park runners, who utilise the area, are proud of.

“Some weeks we have over 1 000 park runners including tourists to this event,” said event director of the Ebotse parkrun, Gary Jackson.

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“We now have 18 000 registered park runners just for the Ebotse parkrun which Benoni should be proud of.

“This is as big as the Comrades Marathon field alone.”

Jackson said he receives complaints about the condition of the toilets and lack of facilities weekly from fellow park runners.

“This problem has been brought to the attention of the council in the area before,” he said.

“The toilets were cleaned and repaired on one occasion, but unfortunately vandals damaged and broke the water pipes to the toilets.”

Jackson was saddened by Benoni who he says was once the Jewel of the East Rand, but is no more.

“It is very unfortunate that the parks in Benoni and surrounding areas have got to such a state that the public has to remind the municipality to keep the grass trimmed and toilets clean,” he said.

“With visitors and tourists to our parks from all parts of the world, the toilets have become an embarrassment and I have to apologise each week to the park runners about the facilities.”

Jackson also mentioned the toilets at CR Swart Park have nothing to do with the estate of Ebotse as the park falls under the municipality,” he said.

He provided two suggestions to keep the park in a worthy condition for all to enjoy:

• The toilets should be repaired and kept locked up during the week and that the keys be kept at the security gate with a register.

“This would keep the vandals and drug addicts away from the toilets and make the area safer to the public,” he said.

• Have someone who would be responsible for the park to ensure that the toilets are kept clean on weekends or on a daily basis; this could be seen as job creation.

“A meeting needs to be held by the council in the area and all suggestions put forward,” he said.

The City Times contacted the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) for comment, but none had been received at the time of publication.

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