Wilgeheuwel XtremePark has received a bit of tender loving care with the help of City Parks.
Ward 97 councillor, Leah Knott confirmed that she had received complaints about the broken fountain pump, which had left the pond water to become stagnant and unhygienic. Additionally, complaints had included a vandalised leaking tap, litter, and weeds and reeds which have taken over the river.
Puleng Ditabe, the regional manager for Region C City Parks, has since been instrumental in assisting with the clean-up of the park. The pump has been fixed and a secured room has been built around it to prevent any further vandalism.
However, due to water restrictions, water features throughout the city are not switched on, therefore, the water feature will be fixed, but not switched on for some time.
“The fountain cannot be drained without the use of the pump and a lot of water. Due to water restrictions, this is difficult but they are working on it. The bird droppings have been scraped away for now, as cleaning requires a high-pressure hose which, again, is affected by water restrictions,” Knott added.
The park is part of a wetland and, therefore, will experience a few complications with weeds and cases of flooding during rainy weather. The reeds have been allowed to grow as constant cutting back threatens to disturb the ecology which makes room for foreign vegetation to take root.
“Please avoid throwing any refuse items into the wetland as it requires removal by a team of specialists with specialised equipment. However, all in all, it is looking pretty great,” said Knott.
Details: Councillor Leah Knott 082 633 9070.