Landmark revival
Munro Drive, the site of historic stonework, a romantic view point and many a car crash, has received some much-needed tender loving care.
Houghton – Munro Drive, the site of historic stonework, a romantic view point and many a car crash, has received some much-needed tender loving care.
The popular road was named one of 100 landmarks of the city’s centenary in 1986.
Bruce Eccles, chairperson of the Upper Houghton Residents Association, said they had initially met with Zoleka Ntabeni, manager of Public Culture for the city’s Arts, Culture and Heritage department, to request the department consider restoration work on the stone retaining walls, columns and metal balustrades.
“Ntabeni told us the city had no funds available for the work, and the only way to have it done would be for the residents to raise the money and do it themselves,” said Eccles.
The association sprang to work after the meeting and began a fundraising drive among residents.
“Many residents make a monthly contribution toward the project, which doesn’t only focus on Munro Drive. The pavement project is about keeping the suburb’s pavements clean and tidy,” said Eccles.
Three residents manage a small team of part-time workers who remove litter and weeds, and plant indigenous plants where flora has been removed or damaged.
According to Johannesburg Heritage Foundation’s Flo Bird, Munro Drive was built in 1919.
“In February 1938 the retaining wall collapsed and had to be rebuilt. The world had just come through the Great Depression, and the rebuilding of the wall formed part of a relief programme for the poor,” she said.
“It brought out some beautiful stonework skills in hammer-dressed stone, and made available to all citizens some wonderful scenery. It’s also an engineering achievement. Wonderful when you think this began as a project to help impoverished people.”
The walls and columns were severely damaged in some places by car crashes over the years. Resident Brenda Randera said the number of accidents was among the challenges faced by the association.
Eccles said, “We brought in a good team of stone masons who managed to piece the columns back together. Next we’re going to look at the metalwork.”
Another challenge tackled by the association was the sometimes shoddy work done by various municipal entities.
However, Randera and Eccles did have praise for the Johannesburg Roads Agency.
“The agency has painted road markings on Munro Drive, and will return to fix the work that wasn’t done properly. We have meetings with the agency, and they have been very cooperative,” said Eccles.
Various challenges notwithstanding, the pavement project is a work in progress, and one that has already been recognised by residents.
“The feedback from residents has been extremely positive. Upper Houghton has become a very different suburb, and it shows that if the council can’t or won’t do it, residents can,” said Eccles.
