Vandalism and theft causes frustration at duck pond
Kathy Preston says, “This pond used to be so beautiful. Now it’s just being left to rack and ruin.”
The Duck Pond in George Sutter Park used to be a gorgeous park that brought entertainment and delight to many Springs residents.
Many people were very proud of the park and its lively duck pond and beautiful fountains.
Of late, however, the Duck Pond is being vandalised and regular cases of theft are causing a great deal of frustration for those who care about the dam, as well as maintenance issues.
Loitering and littering has been an ongoing issue since 2016 and Kathy Preston has been actively involved in cleaning up the park with her husband Henry.
Kathy Preston also ensures that the ducks remain fed and safe.
In 2016, the couple took the waste to the Rietfontein Landfill Site themselves.
Kathy has always encouraged families to visit the pond but asks that they clean up afterwards.
A drop in the pond’s water level is also a cause for concern and has been reported on since 2013.
This issue, according to Henni Brits who has also been heavily involved with the pond, is caused by a faulty water pump that cannot sustain a high amount of water pressure.
The two fountains are also not being used due to the pumps not being able to produce a high amount of water pressure.
Water level drops have been an occurring issue for a while and has been reported on in the Addie since 2014 and has caused a great amount of concern as well as a decrease in the amount of ducks and geese in the pond.
In the last two weeks, however, vandalism and theft has become a major issue for the pond.
One light pole has been stripped and the cables have been stolen, causing the entire area around the pond to be completely dark at night, thus making it a dangerous place for people to be at after dark.
People loiter and party around the pond and leave their food rappers, bottles and plastic containers strewn around.
In addition, a door was ripped off of a room that houses power boxes and these were also stripped and stolen.
Benches are also being vandalised.
Thieves gain access to the pond by jumping over the fence surrounding the pond.
Preston says, “This pond used to be so beautiful.
“Now it’s just being left to rack and ruin.”
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The municipality is supposed to ensure that the pond is in working order but their failure to do so has caused Cathy and local concerned citizens to take the situation into their own hands.
Preston and Brits say that they can no longer keep up the cost of maintaining the dam and fixing the damages.
According to Preston, the theft started in April but has gotten worse and worse, especially in the last two weeks.
According to Brits there are now only seven ducks and 17 geese left in the pond, down from 21 ducks and 71 geese from last year.
“People still come around regularly to feed them but the pond has seen better days”, says Preston.
Former head of the parks department Gerhard Dry wishes to extent his gratitude toward Henry and Cathy Preston as well as Petrus Gerber and Henni Brits for “going out of their way to feed the ducks.
“It’s very nice of them and I wish to thank them on behalf of the community.”
Preston wants to emphasise that, although they can no longer maintain the pond and all its facilities, she and her husband, as well as other concerned citizens, will ensure the ducks remain safe and well-fed.
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