Plans in place to improve Golden Harvest Park
City Parks says plans have been put in place to restore the glory of a community jewel.
Councillor Ralf Bittkau of Ward 101 has declared Golden Harvest Park as his foremost focus for 2024, aiming to address pressing issues affecting the park and enhance its overall well-being.
The park, a cherished public space, has struggled with challenges ranging from safety concerns, and the presence of gangs, to the complexities of building maintenance and managing squatters within its premises. Bittkau acknowledges the severity of these issues and is committed to implementing effective solutions.
Speaking to the Randburg Sun, Bittkau said, “Golden Harvest Park holds significance for our community. We cannot overlook the challenges it faces. This year, my main goal is to ensure the park becomes a safe space for everyone.”
City Parks Johannesburg – responsible for developing, maintaining, and conserving public open spaces, has a pivotal role in tackling the issues within Golden Harvest Park. The organisation recognises the importance of the park as a community asset and is actively engaged in addressing the concerns raised.
City Parks spokesperson Jenny Moodley stated, “We are fully aware of the challenges at Golden Harvest Park. We have dedicated security and have employed six park ambassadors to enforce by-laws.”
She added that City Parks is working closely with the JMPD and police who conduct patrols around the park at random times to reduce crime. “We are concerned about the facility and if we can work with the community and private security companies, we can make safety improvements to the park.’’
The park manager at Golden Harvest Park, Mike Masie, provided insights into the current state of affairs. “We are aware of the challenges. We have to work together with the councillor, law enforcement and the Johannesburg Property Group to fix these issues.” He also explained that he is doing the best he can at this current moment. “This year I am making it a priority to keep the grass on developed parts of the park cut short. This creates visibility that will make it more difficult for robberies to occur and allow visitors to see their surroundings clearer.”
Both Bittkau and Masie agree that the park is an important part of the community and that residents can help take care of the park. “The community can join in to help us by organising clean-ups in the park. This will help keep the park clean,” Masie said.
Concerning the under-maintained buildings and squatters in the park, Moodley explained that buildings are the responsibility of the Johannesburg Property Group.
Questions were sent to the Johannesburg Property Group on January 11 on whether they have plans in place to address the maintenance of the buildings and squatters in the park. Their comments will be published when they are made available to us. At the time of going to print no comment had been received.
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