TALKS are underway to get the children’s play area at Mitchell Park back up and running after a breakdown in communication between the City and the donor threatened to stall the revamp.

With holiday season nearing its end and the playground remaining closed, residents are calling for a speedy resolution to the matter following reports of the donors considering pulling out of the project. Morningside resident Charmaine Pillay, who frequents the park with her family, urged the eThekwini Municipality to prioritise the children’s playground.

“They managed to get the park and zoo reopened, I do not understand why it is so difficult to sort out new play equipment,” said Pillay. “The play area has become an eyesore with its rusty equipment. eThekwini needs to do better. It’s been nearly 10 months of us not having a play area for the kids. This is one of the popular parks in Durban. It’s a shame that it has been left like this for months.”

Also Read: Mitchell Park Zoo reopens after repairs

The century-old park, zoo and play area were shut down in April following public outcry over the deteriorating condition of the facility. While the park and zoo were later reopened, the children’s play area has remained fenced off and inaccessible. In December, Ward 27 councillor Ernest Smith said engagements between the municipality’s Parks, Recreation and Culture (PRC) Unit, himself and the Mid Morningside Ratepayers Association highlighted a communications breakdown being among the reasons for the delay.

He said the donor’s emails were going unanswered by city officials, leading to them considering withdrawing from the project.
“Officials who dropped the ball on this project need to be disciplined,” said Smith. “You cannot keep potential donors hanging indefinitely without actively engaging them when they are coming with funding.”

In March, the City announced that On the Verge and the Woodford Group had come on board to assist with a major revamp of Mitchell Park. Municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said at the time that new “play equipment sponsored by the Woodford Group would be installed in the children’s play area”. Smith said the talks are now back on track. “We should hopefully know more by the end of the month,” he said.

For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here