Park no longer a safe place for youngsters

Kremetart Park no longer a safe place for youngsters.

The Kremetart Park in Eldorado Park Extension Three was opened in March 2008 and had a host of many wonderful surprises such as water fountains, benches, indigenous trees, miniature soccer fields and a lovely water feature at the entrance of the park.

A flat screen television was placed in the park in hopes of bringing the community together and gym equipment was installed to promote a healthy lifestyle.

The Kremetart Park was home to the annual jazz festival that is usually held in September and various scenes from Leon Schuster’s movie-Shucks Tshabalala’s Survival Guide To South Africa – were shot in this park.

This created excitement for the residents of Eldorado Park and gave many of them a sense of hope and a feeling of belonging in the new South Africa.

All of this changed a few years ago, the excitement has died down and many parents feel that they are losing their children to this park.

The park has become a popular place for gambling, drinking, smoking, and criminal activities.

Discarded drug packets and broken alcohol bottles are visible in all areas of the park and the walls are vandalised with unappealing graffiti.

This park is no longer a safe place for youngsters to play and this is a serious problem.

Police visibility has decreased and because of this these unfavourable events occur.

Despite all of this, many children try to make the most of the few swings and slides that are still working.