Residents call for park clean up

Pat Amerseder who is a member of the civic group involved in the park’s upkeep, said the green space had not been sufficiently maintained by City Parks for the past nine years. She said they had received no response from the entity on the matter.

“As it is, it is not a park that invites any children to play there, they get hurt,” she said.

“It attracts unsavoury characters, and residents have put a lot of money into the park. All we ask is City Parks meet us half way.”

Amerseder said there were no security patrols in the park and the old playground equipment had become dangerous for children to play on.

Though City Parks regularly cut the grass in the park, the residents in the area have used their own money to fix and paint the fencing around the park, lay paving and install an irrigation system.

The skateboarding area in the park has been poorly maintained, and high school pupils who utilise the facility have taken it upon themselves to fix the ramps and general state of the skating area.

Skater Daniel Miltiadou who has been involved in the fixing of the skate park said, “The skate park was filled with cracks and ramps which were almost impossible to use. It had become overgrown with weeds and it was dangerous for children. We have decided to renew the park to allow children to play in the park safely and allow more advanced skateboarders to progress in a safe way.”

Ward councillor of Ward 115, Chris Santana said he had requested that City Parks rehabilitate the park, but added that the utility’s service delivery was non-existent and probably would continue to be so after the elections in May.

City Park responded, “Johannesburg City Parks has scheduled a blitz for Westdene and Sophiatown for 29 April. Kingfisher Park is on the schedule for a clean-up.”