As this year draws to a close and next year opens its arms to the Sandton Community, the Sandton Chronicle asked a community leader what her Christmas wishes and New Year’s resolutions are.
Kate Wardle, deputy chairperson of the Parkmore Community Association, has a special wish list for her residents that she hopes will be achieved next year.
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“We are aiming to find a landscaper or designer who specialises in wetlands or river rehabilitation to draw up a vision for George Lea, incorporating fitness and play equipment into the park for children and residents,” said Wardle.
She added that the association wants to find a sponsor for 11th Street community security, and uniforms and name badges are needed for the police-vetted car guards.
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She further wishes to ensure that the Johannesburg Roads Agency finishes repainting the community’s roads and re-tars roads such as 11th and Holt avenues, which are in a bad condition. “It is vital to improve the road closures by putting up appropriate signage. Again, no budget is available [and we] need a sponsor,” she said.
Any residents who are willing to sponsor the signs can contact Wardle directly, who is also looking to achieve long-term solutions for the Field and Study Centre and she explained that the association is working with the relevant stakeholders.
Her wish list also includes community projects that will benefit all residents, such as her aspirations to grow more community vegetable gardens, improve Shandon Way Park and beautify people’s pavements.
“We need to improve security by installing licence plate recognition cameras at entrances and exits [to Parkmore], and work more closely with neighbouring suburbs [such as Hurlingham and Sandhurst] so that we can share the data, using the same technology,” explained Wardle.
“Support for the police [is important] through community policing forums and we need to do up the offices for our sector commanders. We have donated office furniture that we can put into the office and we just need paint and some new blinds.”
One of Wardle’s primary goals includes combating crime so that residents can live safer, more stress-free lives. She believes the key to achieving this goal is communication and community participation.
“We wish to sign up another 100 PCA members so we can afford the next vehicle, which will be the super duper tactical strike unit and achieve even more in Parkmore than in 2016.”
Details: www.parkmore.org.za
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*Article first published on 30 November 2016