Residents reclaim Rhodes Park
Dumped concrete bins replanted, alien plants removed on perimeter and bricks in lake removed and stored.
Rhodes Park. Picture: Joburg East Express.
Rhodes Park safe and clean: that’s the goal of the Friends of Rhodes Park, a newly formed subcommittee of the Kensington Residents and Ratepayers Association (KRRA).
They walked the talk on Mandela Day and last weekend, with the help of about 70 residents, did much more than just clean up the park.
“We wanted Kensington to notice the difference immediately,” said Hudson van Niekerk, deputy chair of KRRA, heading up the Friends of Rhodes Park.
“And how our residents rose to the occasion.
“They helped restore broken paving, waded into the dam to remove broken glass, filled umpteen bags of rubbish and even recycled the mess.”
About 12 concrete bins dumped in the park were replanted and lined, alien plants were removed on the perimeter in Langermann Drive and bricks damming up the lake were removed and stored.
“We thank not only the residents – who put in more than 67 minutes – but also Pikitup, who not only supplied us with bags, but on the day removed them,” said Van Niekerk.
The project, the first of many, Van Niekerk vowed, had the backing of City Parks and the City of Joburg.
“It is great to see a suburb taking the initiative and helping us achieve our goal of safe and clean parks for all,” said a City Parks spokesperson.
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