New fence restores fun at Padfield Park playground

THE playground in Padfield Park has been a den for criminal and drug dealing activity for many years and recently the community met to urge the municipality to secure the area with a fence.

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According to resident, Riette Viljoen, ward 21 and DA PR councillor, Riona Gokool played a major role in getting the message to the eThekwini Municipality and the fence was finally approved.

“The fencing for Padfield Park has been in the pipeline for months now and constant pressure by myself and residents has led to the fence being erected. In March the residents met together with Councillor Gokool to discuss pressing issues in Padfield Park including the need for fencing at the park” Gokool said.

“The park is not being cleaned regularly and one of the residents, Allan Healey, currently pays people out of his own pocket to keep the park clean, this obviously is unacceptable. The grass and trees are not being maintained – at some stage more trees need to be planted for shade, the equipment in the park is old and needs to be updated to the newer equipment which includes the gym equipment,” said Gokool.

“There is a need for lighting in the park but the lights need to work on a timer. This will help with the security issues and more bins need to be installed.”

Pinetown Central CPF chairlady, Jenny Black, said that crime in the area has gone down since the park has been secured with a fence.

“Before the fence was erected, this park was an easy spot for criminals to come in and out the area and there was drug dealer loitering in the area,” she said.

The Parks Department, Metro Police and Pinetown Central CPF are working jointly with Padfield Park Neighbourhood Watch and community members to eradicate the drug dealing and crime in the park.

Now that the fence is up and the park is open to local kids to come play, more equipment and playing material is needed.

“We appeal to the community for jungle gyms, sand-pits and especially indigenous plants to be planted around the park,” said Viljoen.

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