‘Why are we destroying our park?’
A once beautiful, state-of-the-art, recreational park is steadily becoming a hub for drug and alcohol abuse.
A once beautiful, state-of-the-art, recreational park is steadily becoming a hub for drug and alcohol abuse. According to community activist, Anthony Richards, the park in Kremetart Street, Ext 3 is now being used for all kinds of criminal activities.
“I still remember what it was like before this park was built. It was a battlefield for the Westgate and Dallas flats rival gangsters in Ext . Our people were being robbed, raped and murdered,” said Richards.
“This is why we planned to build a park where everyone could be safe and where our children could have a place to play, but the park is deteriorating and it’s not being utilised for the right reasons,” he added.
Over the years, the swings were being stolen and in recent months, the palisade fencing around the park is being stolen as well.
“Because the fence is gradually disappearing, cars have been entering the park, literally creating sand roads and killing the beautiful green grass. Drivers know that there are no cars allowed in the park but they insist on doing the wrong thing, I don’t understand why,” said Richards.
He added that the ablution facilities have been broken into, vandalised and that everything inside has been stolen.
“Even the fountains are damaged, the big fountain at the entrance of the park no longer works, instead the pipes and fountain itself has been stuffed with litter, our pathways have been vandalised, bricks are being stolen, the gym equipment is completely broken, can we even call this a park?” he asked.
Richards urged Ext 3 residents to take ownership of the park.
“We cannot allow this to continue, our park is being used for drugs and gambling, our people are being robbed in this park so we are back to square one,” he said.
He added that he has contacted the local councillors who advised him that no one has ever complained about the park. Councillor Fazel Jaffer said that vandalism by residents is the biggest problem.
“City Parks has spent close to R50 000 on the ablution facilities last year and in less than a week, it was vandalised. The floodlights are being stolen every time it is fixed, it’s like we’re throwing money down a bottomless pit,” said Jaffer.
“The main gate has been stolen a dozen times, the park is deteriorating due to our actions as a community,” he added.
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