‘Devastated’– Gillooly’s Farm once a beautiful picnic spot

Gillooly’s Farm in Bedfordview is unkempt, covered in filth and in a shameful state and local ward councillor Jill Humphries wants it closed and cleaned up, but cannot seem to get anywhere with the City of Ekurhuleni.

Humphries said depleted city coffers and efforts to block any kind of initiative to sort out the mess has her at her wits’ end.

Devastated

She said she was heartbroken by the state of the once beautiful picnic spot. “I’m devastated and heartbroken about our beautiful park. But it’s not only Gillooly’s, it’s all the parks and verges that are still affected by the impossibly difficult circumstances in we find ourselves. I have actually been requesting for some time that the park be closed until it may be cleaned up and restored.”

The Citizen visited the park last March and not much has changed – bar the height of weeds.

Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said: “Gillooly’s Farm has been earmarked for a development of a botanical garden and that process is currently underway. The project management team is working on the farm however, the process is still at the feasibility study stage wherein studies are being conducted on the concept of a botanical garden.”

But right now, past the playground and towards the cobblestoned crossing of a waterway at the edge of the lake, weeds are towering, and trash collects at the edges of the canal.

Unkempt jungle

On the other side, picnic spots are completely hidden from sight and visitors must navigate through an unkempt jungle. It’s as if the park needed a haircut years ago but opted to go hippie instead.

Sundays at Gillooly’s Farm used to be a chilled, family affair. Now visitors must compete with overgrown grass, weeds and filth to find a spot to enjoy nature.

There was live music at Mrs Sippi Blues, the on-site restaurant which had a view of the lake and outside seating. Picnic spots were packed and kids were all over a well-kept playground.

That was a decade ago. Today, goose and duck guano covers the deck in front of what used to be the eatery. Weeds are growing through the paving and with luck visitors may find a bench that’s not falling apart near the waterside.

ALSO READ: Yeoville residents welcome refurbished park

At least the toilets seem to flush.

The abandoned restaurant is the first thing visitors notice on arrival, that is, if the overgrown grass that’s in some instances waist high around the picnic spots goes unnoticed.

To its right, there’s a playground with some working equipment. Then, there’s the wooden, semi-usable wooden climbing and sliding spot. Rusted nails protrude at the top. Next to it, a broken swing. Safety doesn’t seem paramount at this play area.

Humphries said: “I have been trying for years to have Gillooly’s managed by a leasing tenant but every process has been blocked. To have been able to open this process up in the last year, in terms of all the political ramifications, has also been impossible. However, that is still the intention.”

Dlamini said there was a process in place to seek a new tenant.

“An item in this regard is in the committee system of the council for consideration. The item will serve at the next mayoral committee meeting,” he said.

It seemed that while the Democratic Alliance-led coalition has been running Ekurhuleni for a year now, little was able to be done as obstacles abound. “We sit in a fragile coalition, struggling constantly to budget with emptied coffers,” Humphries said.

“I’m painfully aware of every item you (The Citizen) describe which is why I’ve been trying to close it. Albeit temporarily.”

The MMC for environment and waste, Brandon Pretorius did not respond to questions on WhatsApp, instead seeking a formal e-mail, to which he also did not respond.

– news@citizen.co.za