Residents in Parkhurst now have the pleasure of enjoying a clean and safe park.
The Verity Park User Group was formed to maintain the park and make it a space that is open to all community members. However, they are calling on residents to help them maintain the park by means of donations. This according to Paul Johnson, a member of the group. “The park has become a favourite with residents. Offering a clean and safe environment is of paramount importance. The primary challenge is in keeping the park clean and to minimise the quantity of doggie poo left on the grass.”
Around seven years ago, the Verity Park User Group was formed with the intent of caring for the park. Sponsors built three bag stations where dog walkers can take a bag or two to collect poo. Notices are displayed around the park, to remind dog walkers of their responsibilities.
He added that over the past eight years the number of dogs in the park has increased exponentially; some afternoons you can count up to 50 dogs in the park. Sadly, many people don’t bother to take responsibility, so a person had to be employed on a part-time basis, to collect what was left behind by the inconsiderate dog walkers.
Cathy Moore from Property.CoZa recently proposed a sponsorship from her company to help keep the park clean. The company is contributing R1 500 per month to the Verity Park User Group, which goes a long way to covering the costs of Eugene Burford, from Living Link, a non-profit organisation that supports the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities into society and facilitates their transition from school to work to independent living. Burford cleans the park on a daily basis and some of the money is used to pay for the bags provided.
“With this donation, we are confident that the park will be kept clean, and offer residents a safe and hygienic local venue for all,” said Johnson.
The Parkhurst Residents and Business Owners Association sponsored extra swing bins to make it easier for people to drop off their bags. A bank account was opened, and park users were encouraged to make an annual contribution, which would fund, among other things, bags for dog walkers to pick up their furry friends’ deposits, and day-to-day maintenance and repairs.
Details: veritypark@parkhurst.org.za
