Residents are urged to follow park bylaws
ROBINDALE– A concerned resident got into an argument with a couple after she had tried to protect baby plovers from being attacked by the couple's dogs.
Parks in Joburg often have wildlife that lives there and that needs to co-exist with residents using these parks for recreational purposes, such as taking their dogs for leisurely walks.
Robindale residents Elsa Mack and her husband often visit Delta Park and enjoy what the park has to offer. Mach said they were walking their pets in the late afternoon of 15 November when a couple with three dogs arrived, close to the area where the birds usually are.
“Their dogs started chasing the birds and causing havoc. I could see the baby plover and feared that it would be trampled to death. Out of desperation, I grabbed a short branch and waved it at the dogs, shouting at them,” Mack said.
She said the owners stood there and did nothing to help her protect the plovers and this resulted in a confrontation between them.
“All I hope for is to raise awareness about residents taking care of the environment and respecting the rules that govern our parks,” Mack said.
Resident manager of Delta Environmental Centre, Geoff Lockwood said there are bylaws that residents have to abide by.
“In a public space like Delta Park every dog should be on a leash. If the birds the resident was trying to protect were harmed due to the other couple’s rowdy dogs that were not restrained, a case could have been opened,” Lockwood said.
Marketing manager of Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo Jenny Moodley said the entity appeals to visitors to please obey the bylaws that are found on their website.
Common complaints regarding bylaws include littering, substance abuse, dogs off leashes, dog droppings and tree felling. Transgressors caught in the act of contravening the bylaws will be fined and could face an additional charge to compensate the City to repair the damage or replace equipment or the ecology of the facility,” Moodley said.
Residents are urged to remain vigilant and report wrongdoings.
Details: Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo jcp@jhbcityparks.com or 011 375 5911.
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