Local parks get spruced up

TWO local parks within Ward 31 have been spruced up by Ward 31 councillor Remona Mckenzie in collaboration with the Ward 31 committee and the Sydenham Ratepayers’ Association.

“We have started work to revamp Overport Park, also known as Crescent Road Park and Barns Road Grounds. With Barns Road Grounds, there is a history of people frequenting the grounds but not for the intended purposes. There have also been littering, loitering and unsavoury behaviour noticed at Overport Park. So with both park spaces, we have secured them with a fence perimeter, limiting the points of access for residents to one access and exit point, and this controls the influx of people coming into the parks for the wrong reasons,” said Mckenzie.

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According to Mckenzie, the municipality funds projects such as this one which will help uplift the communities within the various wards. “Last year, the municipality funded the renovation of the clubhouse at Barns Road Grounds, and the clubhouse was vandalised immediately afterwards and looted. So for this project to upgrade the local parks, our main priority is to secure the spaces and ensure that the security at the parks is better for residents and for the safety of the parks’ facilities.”

“The funding from the municipality goes directly to contractors who put in the hard work to upgrade our local facilities. This funding comes straight from the Capital Improvement Plan Budget, and we, as ward councillors, are responsible for upgrading the facilities that residents request to be upgraded,” said Mckenzie.

Mckenzie says that she, along with the Ward 31 Committee and Sydenham Ratepayers’ Association, will ensure that the newly revamped parks are well-maintained. “We want residents to finally be able to enjoy the facilities that are here for them in the area. We, in no way, want to exclude residents from these parks by closing them off so there are pedestrian gates installed within the fences which are always open. In time, we are planning to add additional facilities that will turn these parks into sports grounds and places where people can go for recreational activities.”

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According to Mckenzie, now that Overport Park has been secured, the next course of action will be to install jungle gyms and play equipment for children to enjoy. “Before we started upgrading Overport Park, residents were requesting for the park to be closed off. We want to transform it into a place where people can bring their children to play in a safe environment.”

For more information, reach out to the Ward 31 councillor, Remona Mckenzie, on 081 041 5404.

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