Green Spaces « Opinions

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YES! YES! YES! We ARE losing our green spaces, as proved through Radio Today’s community show Voice of the Suburbs.

Over the past year we have been fighting for Sandton Field and Study Centre where the Johannesburg Property Company wants to sell off hundreds of acres for office blocks. That fight still continues.
Rietvlei Zoo Farm is under threat because JoProp wants to build an hotel, townhouse complex and shopping centres on the nearly 600 acres there.
“But we’re only taking half of the green spaces,” said JoProp on air. Really? The other half is either inaccessible unless you can mountain climb, or will be the property of an agricultural school and NOT open to the public.
Worst of all, look at these stats:
45% of ther land in and around Johannesburg is zoned as green spaces. Of this, 33% is considered “no-go” areas, i.e. too ecologically sensitive to develop – and Rietvlei Zoo Farm, whith its 2 red data species and numerous red data fauna falls in that category.
Does that stop JoProp? No. Now they are selling off Settlers Park in Kensington for yet ANOTHER shopping centre.
What happened to the famous quote: “A green space lost, is a green space lost forever.
How do we fight them? How do we stop them?

Comment by Carine Hartman | April 21, 2007
The answer is simple, Carine. Communities must stand up and be heard.
I think the problem is how. A lot of people feel strongly about green spaces and fighting for them, but don’t know how to go about it.
What is the answer? Is there a petition for Rietvlei Zoo Farm we can sign? Or maybe Sandton Field and Study Centre? And how do we get involved in the fight for Settlers Park. I understand it is the park next to Eastgate as you come in from the airport with the famous George Harrison statue to commemorate the discovery of gold?
Answers anyone?

Comment by Douglas Fairburn | April 21, 2007