Residents continue to fight for Dunkeld Bowls Club
DUNKELD - The tender for the Dunkeld Bowls Club has been a source of angst for many residents in the area.
The local community was shocked to learn that the tender was awarded to Boston City Campus, affording them the rights to transform the property into a learning facility.
On 23 October, a meeting was held for concerned community members, with representatives from the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) and Boston City Campus present.
Tensions ran high as residents strongly disagreed with the claim that the minimum requirements for the tender had been met by Boston.
Following these events, Ward 90 councillor Anthony Still issued a letter on behalf of the local community to Farnis Sardianos of the JPC, emphasising that the vast majority of residents strongly opposed the tender proposal, citing that the property’s primary use was that of a public open space for sports and recreational activities, pointing out that the Boston Group is a privately owned commercial entity as its’ core activity is business related.
Still also reiterated that the local residents had no issue with Boston building their proposed training facility in the vicinity of the neighbourhood, as long as the proposed property is zoned for commercial activities.
In response to the letter, Sardianos presented his argument that Boston’s core activity is institutional (training and education) with the support of sports and recreational activities.
Emphasising in the meaning and definition of “public open space”, there is scope which allows for the use of mixed content.
This includes recreational, sports or cultural activities as well as any apparatus, facility, structure or building which in the opinion of the council is necessary or expedient for the purposes of such open space.
Sardianos reaffirmed that none of the clauses in the tender proposal had been breached.
On 11 November, official notification was sent to the JPC through Still noting their continued disagreement on the issue and indicated that the local community is currently taking legal advice and reviewing possible options for legal action.
The Gazette is still awaiting comment from the Johannesburg Property Company.
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