City hands over revamped Bosmont park

12 December 2016

 

The City of Johannesburg’s Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development, Cllr Nonhlanhla Sifumba, on Friday December 9 officially handed over the newly revamped Davey Road Park to the Bosmont community in Region B.

 

Whether you want to have a family picnic or make use of the outdoor gym, the park, revamped at a cost of R1.9-million by the Johannesburg City Parks & Zoo (JCPZ), has it all.

The park has a free-to-use outdoor gym equipment, new generation play equipment with rubberised surfaces, trees and park furniture. The facility is access-controlled to ensure it remains clean and green at all times and does not become a haven for criminals.

The park’s major makeover forms part of JCPZ’s ongoing drive to create a liveable city by improving the quality of open spaces where residents can relax, play or work out.

Part of the City’s strategic vision, recently articulated by Executive Mayor Cllr Herman Mashaba, is to build an inclusive city where communities can assemble in safe outdoor spaces and take ownership of their parks.

Cllr Sifumba said families in Bosmont, Newclare and surrounding areas now had perfect place for an afternoon outing with their loved ones.

Ward Councillor Susan Stewart said a lot of time had gone into making the park beautiful. “This is a beautiful space to share with our little ones. We have a civil responsibility to look after the infrastructure that’s provided to us. This is a social-cohesion space.”

She urged residents to ensure that there was no littering and no drinking in the park.

JCPZ Managing Director Bulumko Nelana said building a park was the easy part, ensuring that it was sustained for future generations was the hard part. “I ask each and every one of you to play a role in ensuring that this park remains this beautiful.”

He said open spaces encouraged healthy living. That is why, he said, JCPZ took the decision to include an outdoor gym.

“The revamped park will go a long way in building social harmony, developing civic ownership and creating health conscious communities,” Nelana said.

Salamina Davids, a 36-year-old mother of three, said she was grateful of the park because it meant her children could now play across the street from her home.

“I’ll now be able to keep an eye on them while they play and I know they’re going to make the most of this park during these holidays,” said Salamina.

She said the old park was in such a bad state that one could not tell whether it was a park or a bush.

JCPZ has urged residents to comply with City by-laws by keeping parks clean and litter-free. Residents are asked to report illegal dumping by calling the 24-hour Joburg Connect hotline number 0860 562874 or (011) 375-5555.