MMC blitzes Fontainebleau Park

MMC for community development Margaret Arnolds visited the Fontainebleau Park to oversee a large service delivery blitz on 17 February.

The problem park has been the bane of many nearby residents and businesses, with reports of frequent illegal dumping, littering, displaced persons, drug dealing and serious crime.

The blitz aimed to cut and clean the overgrown area to beautify the space and heighten visibility to improve safety in the park.

Teams from Joburg City Parks and Zoo were on hand for a much-needed cut and clean of the overgrown landscape.

Large diggers, tractors and industrial-strength lawnmowers were there to help the job take place a bit more easily.

“We have unfortunately been lagging behind with the cleaning of our parks and open spaces. The recent heavy and long sustained rains have only hindered this upkeep,” said Arnolds.

She acknowledged that the state of the Fontainebleau Park, and other parks in the region, was not great at all.

“What we are trying to do is visit every single ward with the relevant City departments to cut grass and clean our parks in a blitz frequently. We know that it is dangerous for visitors to walk through here, and there are issues with crime, and besides the focus on keeping the City clean, clearing these areas of overgrown foliage will help to make our parks safer,” continued Arnolds.

Ward 101 councillor Mike Wood added, “As City council, we have highlighted 10 issues regarding service delivery in Region B, and this is one of the issues I have personally highlighted in council. I am delighted that the blitz is happening, but we do need a more structured programme to ensure that the park remains clean and safe. This needs to be done regularly and more discussions need to take place.”

Arnolds asked that all ward councillors, and community members and associations, cooperate in the upkeep of their surrounds, taking ownership of the open spaces near them to keep the City beautiful.

“Remember, not every green space belongs to us, some are owned privately or administered by different departments. I encourage these departments and private owners to take responsibility for the upkeep of their areas. Let us and your councillor know when grass is overgrown, and I encourage you to keep us on our toes,” she concluded.

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