Eventide Home battles against ‘anti-social’ activities
The police have helped by shoo-ing away loiterers and 'drinkers', but Karen believes that a lasting solution is needed.
Filth, noise and anti-social activities that include drinking in public are impacting negatively on the SAVF Eventide Home for the Aged in Beaconsfield Street.
The general decay of the area in recent years has left Eventide isolated, and that is now a major concern for the management and the elderly / frail residents.
Residents say the wall outside the Home has become a gathering place for especially schoolchildren in the afternoons, who use the spot to smoke and ‘sometimes even drink (alcohol) in public’.
Witnesses commented that they’ve ‘even smelt dagga’ drifting around the area on some occasions.
They added that the noise generated by the uniformed learners is also ‘something that residents have to contend with’.
“That’s besides the litter that is left behind. It has become an area to loiter in and we have appealed to the SAPS and the municipality to implement the by-laws, but to no avail,” said Home manager Karen Glasgow. Business owners who spoke to the Courier said the Eventide complaint is related to other issues in the CBD – covered in a recent Courier – which highlighted the problem of the homeless bedding down in front of shops and leaving their litter behind.
Cllr Naresh Gopie said he had requested the Traffic Department to put up ‘No Loitering’ and other signs outside Eventide Home in a bid to curb anti-social activities.
The police have helped by shoo-ing away loiterers and ‘drinkers’, but Karen believes that a lasting solution is needed.
