Concern over plans for park
2010-07-22
MUNICIPAL plans to convert part of the historic Victoria Park in the heart of Paarl for parking, are being opposed by conservationists. The parking is required for municipal employees who work at the municipal building at the intersection of Main and Market Street, which now houses the engineering and planning departments. Plans to move the Mill Street library to the ground floor of this building, will increase parking requirements in the area. Parking for about 70 cars is proposed in the western section of the park, behind the regional court building. Public use of the park has deteriorated over the past decade or two, it has become neglected and the fencing has been removed. The proposal has however not found favour with conservationsts, as the park dates back to about 1885 and is considered a typical example of a Victorian public park, which originally boasted a band stand and conservatory. A wide variety of shrubs and trees were planted there, and in 1897 it was renamed the Victoria Jubilee Park in celebration of Queen Victoria’s reign. Many residents donated plants and subscribers paid ten shillings a year which entitled them to enter the park, accompanied by a friend or family. The zoning of the park is for “recreational and municipal services”, which would permit the use of a portion of the park for parking. Heritage Western Cape is opposed to the development of parking in the park, but according to the supplementary environmental impact report to the municipality by Henry Aikman, an independent heritage specialist, this is “unrealistic”, as the park is deteriorating. “The park is now at a point where, unless urgent attention be given to upgrading, trees will die and the remnants of the old park will disappear. “The scruffy character discourages residents from using the park as a recreation area and as a result, anti-social behaviour is becoming more frequent. “The development of a parking area forming part of an integrated plan for upgrading is the only viable solution.” The proposal, at a total cost of R5 million, will include replanting, upgrading of the play park and reconstruction of the band stand. The parking area could be utilised as a market over week-ends. When the Paarl Post requested a copy of the plan of the proposals for the park, it was refused “as the plans have not been submitted to Council”. According to Dr Elzet Albertyn, consultant of the Paarl 300 Foundation, the proposal to use part of the park for parking cannot be supported. “Destroying part of the park and replacing it with a hard surface will have an irreparably negative impact on the terrein. “The green lung in the heart of Paarl plays an important historic, aesthetic and social role in the community and should be retained in total. The municipality’s heritage resource survey of 2010 grades it as a Grade II heritage terrain. The park belongs to the community of Paarl and should be conserved according to its grading.” Wim Gericke, chairperson of the Drakenstein Heritage Foundation, says his organisation is also opposed to the development of parking in the park. “If the parking is required for municipal employees, they should provide it on site. Part of the public parking behind the court building is already fenced in, and we can’t allow further encroachment. “Judging by the proposed Waterfront development, the Municipality cannot be trusted with our public open spaces,” he added. According to the consultants, the possibility of declaring the park a provincial heritage site is being investigated.
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