The inner city parks

The inner city parks
Six inner city parks that have already been upgraded as part of an ambitious three year programme to clean up the city's green lungs and restore them to local communities. Joubert Park This popular park caters for thousands of flat dwellers who live on its perimeter. On weekends soccer and church groups infringe on the space, when some 10 000 people use it. Taxi drivers bucket water from the fountains to wash their taxis, or open fire hydrants to fill their buckets. Some 200 bags of litter were being collected from the park every day. The metal fittings on the large, central fountain were stolen years ago. Toilets had been taken over by drug dealers, and public urinating was common. The chess corner of Joubert Park But all that has changed. Soccer balls have been confiscated, and church groups have been offered alternative grounds for their thousands of congregants. The taxi drivers are now using a tap. The public toilets have been cleaned up and three chemical toilets have been placed in the park. An irrigation system is being put in place to restore the brown patches (previous soccer fields) to grass. The central fountain is to be upgraded. A large rose garden has been planted. Chess has been played in the park for many years; more chess sets have been ordered. Vendors have been registered, in terms of by-laws, and the several dozen photographers who use the park as their work venue have been allowed to remain. They are also informal security guards, alerting one another to possible trouble through whistles that they carry. There are now 97 bins scattered around the park, and litter bags filled daily have dropped from 200 to 40. Cleaners use blowers, and the number of blowers needed to clean the park has dropped from 19 to six. A look at the relaxed look of park users testifies to the changed atmosphere of the park. The old trees are full of spring leaves, and it's a very pleasant place to idle away some time. Donald MacKay Park, Harrow Road, Berea Six months ago this park was a no-go zone with prostitution and drug dealing dominating the park's space. It's one of the city's oldest parks, with several levels and beautiful stone walls which were covered with graffiti. Large patches of the grass had been worn away by soccer players. Play equipment was scattered around haphazardly. The play equipment was moved into one area, once a rubber tarmac was laid. The soccer players have been given an area in the park. Chess sets have been introduced. New lighting has been erected, along a west-east path through the park, making it a pleasant boulevard. The graffiti-sprayed walls have been sandblasted and restored to their former beauty. Toilets are to be installed in the future. And children are happily playing on swings and slides. End Street Parks, Doornfontein There are three parks in End Street, and all have been transformed into low-maintenance, hard surface parks where children are playing very happily and local residents are relaxing. They were littered with waste from the nearby industrial area, and vagrancy was high. They are now paved, with gravel sections and attractive stone balls demarcating paths and play areas. The middle park is now closed from the street, and for use only by children. JL de Villiers Park, Harrow Road, Berea This park was referred to as the "dronkies park" because drunkards had taken up residence in the park, and had a corner filled with empty bottles and another corner for fires. The park was flat and unimaginative. It now has small hillocks in between paved pathways, a small soccer field, a basketball court, a fenced children's play area, and stone balls running through it that have been painted a cheerful blue, giving the park the name of the "blue park". It has a new blue urinal and a new green fence. Unkempt flower beds have been removed and replaced with grass. It's clear the local residents have discovered the new blue park - they're sitting chatting on the new park benches, while their children enjoy the new playground. Mitchell Park, Johnston Road, Berea Sixty bags of broken glass were removed from this "dingy, dark hell" park as part of its reclamation. This was a flat, untidy hang-out for criminals but is now referred to the "yellow park". Its fenced children's area, under a shady grove of trees, has a bright yellow wall surrounding it, complemented by yellow bins and a brand-new yellow and red toilet next to a green urinal. Its pleasant hillocks encourage strolling around its basketball courts, mini soccer field (previously a bowling green) and chess set, where a group of players are sitting under an ancient pepper tree, contemplating their next move. This park's sweeping pathways allow for easy wheelchair access. Broken-down hedges have been removed and the park is circled in green palisade fencing. Three braai bins have been erected under a group of trees, surrounded by gravel paving. Edith Cavell Park, Edith Cavell Road, Hillbrow This small triangular park has been transformed into a children's-only park which is locked during in the mornings. The key is available from two local residents, who have become very possessive of the park, in particular Mrs Buthelezi (some people call it Mrs Buthelezi's park). The park used to be a dumping site and the home of vagrants. It's been fenced, landscaped, and out-of-use pools have been filled in with rockeries. It's a pleasant haven under old trees in Hillbrow's flatland.
The inner city parks

Six inner city parks that have already been upgraded as part of an ambitious three year programme to clean up the city's green lungs and restore them to local communities.

Joubert Park

This popular park caters for thousands of flat dwellers who live on its perimeter. On weekends soccer and church groups infringe on the space, when some 10 000 people use it. Taxi drivers bucket water from the fountains to wash their taxis, or open fire hydrants to fill their buckets. Some 200 bags of litter were being collected from the park every day. The metal fittings on the large, central fountain were stolen years ago. Toilets had been taken over by drug dealers, and public urinating was common.

The chess corner of Joubert Park

But all that has changed. Soccer balls have been confiscated, and church groups have been offered alternative grounds for their thousands of congregants. The taxi drivers are now using a tap. The public toilets have been cleaned up and three chemical toilets have been placed in the park. An irrigation system is being put in place to restore the brown patches (previous soccer fields) to grass.

The central fountain is to be upgraded. A large rose garden has been planted. Chess has been played in the park for many years; more chess sets have been ordered. Vendors have been registered, in terms of by-laws, and the several dozen photographers who use the park as their work venue have been allowed to remain. They are also informal security guards, alerting one another to possible trouble through whistles that they carry.

There are now 97 bins scattered around the park, and litter bags filled daily have dropped from 200 to 40. Cleaners use blowers, and the number of blowers needed to clean the park has dropped from 19 to six. A look at the relaxed look of park users testifies to the changed atmosphere of the park. The old trees are full of spring leaves, and it's a very pleasant place to idle away some time.

Donald MacKay Park, Harrow Road, Berea

Six months ago this park was a no-go zone with prostitution and drug dealing dominating the park's space. It's one of the city's oldest parks, with several levels and beautiful stone walls which were covered with graffiti. Large patches of the grass had been worn away by soccer players. Play equipment was scattered around haphazardly.

The play equipment was moved into one area, once a rubber tarmac was laid. The soccer players have been given an area in the park. Chess sets have been introduced. New lighting has been erected, along a west-east path through the park, making it a pleasant boulevard. The graffiti-sprayed walls have been sandblasted and restored to their former beauty. Toilets are to be installed in the future. And children are happily playing on swings and slides.

End Street Parks, Doornfontein

There are three parks in End Street, and all have been transformed into low-maintenance, hard surface parks where children are playing very happily and local residents are relaxing. They were littered with waste from the nearby industrial area, and vagrancy was high. They are now paved, with gravel sections and attractive stone balls demarcating paths and play areas. The middle park is now closed from the street, and for use only by children.

JL de Villiers Park, Harrow Road, Berea

This park was referred to as the "dronkies park" because drunkards had taken up residence in the park, and had a corner filled with empty bottles and another corner for fires. The park was flat and unimaginative. It now has small hillocks in between paved pathways, a small soccer field, a basketball court, a fenced children's play area, and stone balls running through it that have been painted a cheerful blue, giving the park the name of the "blue park". It has a new blue urinal and a new green fence. Unkempt flower beds have been removed and replaced with grass. It's clear the local residents have discovered the new blue park - they're sitting chatting on the new park benches, while their children enjoy the new playground.

Mitchell Park, Johnston Road, Berea

Sixty bags of broken glass were removed from this "dingy, dark hell" park as part of its reclamation. This was a flat, untidy hang-out for criminals but is now referred to the "yellow park". Its fenced children's area, under a shady grove of trees, has a bright yellow wall surrounding it, complemented by yellow bins and a brand-new yellow and red toilet next to a green urinal. Its pleasant hillocks encourage strolling around its basketball courts, mini soccer field (previously a bowling green) and chess set, where a group of players are sitting under an ancient pepper tree, contemplating their next move. This park's sweeping pathways allow for easy wheelchair access. Broken-down hedges have been removed and the park is circled in green palisade fencing. Three braai bins have been erected under a group of trees, surrounded by gravel paving.

Edith Cavell Park, Edith Cavell Road, Hillbrow

This small triangular park has been transformed into a children's-only park which is locked during in the mornings. The key is available from two local residents, who have become very possessive of the park, in particular Mrs Buthelezi (some people call it Mrs Buthelezi's park). The park used to be a dumping site and the home of vagrants. It's been fenced, landscaped, and out-of-use pools have been filled in with rockeries. It's a pleasant haven under old trees in Hillbrow's flatland.

The inner city parks