Community lobby to clean neglected land
DOUGLASDALE - Douglasdale community members have become increasingly angered over a section of land that has stood vacant for more than 10 years.
Erica Wolter, a member of the Douglasdale community, said she is concerned about a piece of land that has stood vacant for more than 10 years. Wolter said it has stood vacant since before she first moved across the road from it into one of the complexes.
According to Ward 115 councillor Chris Santana, the land belongs to the education department and was initially zoned for the purpose of building a school.
He said he has been doing everything in his power to get the issue sorted out. Until province, who currently owns the land, decides what they are going to do with it, the land will remain vacant. Santana said it might be best to mobilise members of the community and involve them in efforts to clear it up.
Resident Mary Borkett said her biggest concern was the threat of fire. Borkett is president of the Norscot Koppies and Kingfisher Nature Reserve which is located across from the vacant land.
She said it is not uncommon for the veld to catch fire during winter and she feels this poses a threat to the reserve that is home to several wild animals. “If the wind is strong enough, my fear is that it could blow in the direction of the park,” she said.
Borkett said she just wanted the department of education to regularly cut the overgrown grass and bushes.
