Derelict club draws petition
“It has become a place for vagrants to stay and it's very unhygienic. It's shocking,” were the words of Montclair Crime Eye member, Julie Meyer who was referring to the state of the Montclair tennis clubhouse.
A routine patrol of the area by the neighbourhood watch group on Saturday, 28 September revealed the decrepit state of the clubhouse. “As a community we are angry at the state of this clubhouse. One room is being utilised solely as a toilet. The stench was unbearable,” said Julie. During their visit to the clubhouse, the neighbourhood watch group chased away 10 vagrants who were occupying the premises.
“It has become a place for vagrants to stay and it’s very unhygienic. I was shocked at what I saw. I drive past there everyday and I did not know the state of it. It’s shocking. We took a few pictures and uploaded them on Montclair Crime Eye’s Whatsapp group and the response from people was that they didn’t know what was in there. We don’t want the municipality to break it down but we are giving them an option to either demolish or revamp it. The municipality’s response was that it would cost too much to revamp it. A local church approached them and offered to revamp it at their own expense and still pay them a monthly fee but they turned the offer down.”
“It has become a place for vagrants to stay and it’s very unhygienic.”
Since the night’s shocking discovery, a petition was started, which will be taken to the municipality to try and resolve the clubhouse deadlock.
“We are launching a petition because we think that’s where the criminals are harbouring. If the petition doesn’t work we don’t know what we will do. Many community members are willing to take their hammers and demolish it themselves if nothing comes of the petition. Our children need a recreational hall or something like a clubhouse. I’m sure as a community we are willing to maintain it but the municipality won’t budge,” said Julie.
Ward 64 councillor Billie Prinsloo said: “I have spoken to a parks department official who is aware of the petition and public outcry about the department’s in-action in demolishing the derelict tennis club and ablution block. I have also spoken to an environmental health practitioner who accompanied me on an on-site visit to both buildings a few years ago and recommended its demolition for health reasons. I have personally requested the demolition of both buildings several times to no avail. It really irks me when as ward councillor, my representation of the community is ignored and undermined.”
An official from the parks department, who asked to remain unnamed as they are not allowed to address the media, said: “Permission for demolish of the ablution block was received. The clubhouse is not coming down yet as someone wants to lease it. There are four or five applications to lease the clubhouse being considered by the chairman of the sports body lease monitoring and evaluation committee, who will adjudicate the applications.”
CPF chairman, Gavin Hegter said: “It’s fantastic to see the community coming together to combat crime in the area and using their initiative. Working together with the police by being their eyes and ears and standing together as a community is the only way we will combat crime.”
The community is urged to sign the petition at The Lounge, at 168 Wingate Road. As of Thursday, 10 October, 196 signatures had been garnered. The municipality has not yet responded to an enquiry by the Sun two weeks ago.
