Local landmarks in jeopardy
A petition has been drawn up to challenge the metro's decision.
The Pam Brink stadium, which has been a part of the history of Springs, faces demolition.
With rumours about being converted to a private cemetery and memorial garden, the once beloved stadium is now only a memory of those who grew up playing on its grounds. The ward councillor, Dean Stone, said the stadium has been facing years of neglect.
“We have to do something. During the xenophobic attacks, some people lived here, and at some point, cars were parked inside. It is clear there was never a plan to fix it,” he said.
He argued no one notified the community about the municipality’s plans to demolish the stadium.
“The excuses for no funding and the lack of structural integrity are not making sense. You cannot tell me the entire structure is unsafe.
“The cost of converting the stadium into something new would obviously cost more than restoring and maintaining it,” he added.
Stone said he wanted the stadium restored because he is passionate about the future of the town’s children.
“I want to preserve this stadium, mainly for the schools. Our children go to Germiston for sporting events when we have a perfectly capable stadium in our backyard. We cannot just accept what the municipality is telling us.
What is a cemetery going to help? How will it benefit the people of Springs?
“I personally would not let this go. I will fight this,” affirmed Stone.
The City of Ekurhuleni neither confirmed nor denied the cemetery plans.
The city spokesperson Zweli Dlamini, did, however, refer to the state of the stadium, saying, “This facility has been out of service for many years because of its condition. The city assessed the feasibility of bringing the stadium back to service.
“Based on the outcome, the department concluded this facility could be better utilised for alternative use as the funds required to bring it back to service far exceed this department’s capital budget.
“The facility was then handed over to the city’s real estate department, the custodian of the city’s property portfolio, to determine the best use,” said Dlamini.
The stadium is not the only site that is in bad shape. The Geduld swimming pool has also suffered years of neglect. The pool, which, according to the city is a heritage site, has been in disrepair for years.
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“There is just no interest. No one in the council wants to take accountability for what happens to our heritage sites,” lamented Stone.
Dlamini confirmed, “They established this pool in 1932. Over most of its 83 years, it has received general maintenance that kept it going. Most of the equipment in this facility is old and has outlived its life span. As a result, it experienced frequent breakdowns and became very expensive to maintain, hence it was closed on January 30, 2015,” said Dlamini.
After a detailed breakdown of the slow decline in the infrastructure, the city stated there are plans to restore the pool. There are just not enough funds to execute it.
“It is a heritage facility. Some problems identified were wear and tear and the continuous water leaks resulting from the ageing underground piping, including the structural cracks of the pool shell.
“The city included this facility in the subsequent multiyear budget cycle for 2017/2018 to 2019/2020 for the contracting and plenary stages. However, with the tight municipal finances currently, the project is on hold until funding is available,” said Dlamini.
Stone calls on residents of Springs to unite to restore the honour and beauty of the rest of Springs.
“The community restored our older memorials. It shows that they invested in the future of this town. I think it is important that we continue to invest and put back into the town. If not to assist the municipality, then to ensure the future of our town,” he said.
