The Batavia Street Conservancy in Bothasig was again one of the items discussed at the Subcouncil 3 meeting held on Friday last week.
The item will not be removed from the agenda until the current short-term solutions have been met, the Subcouncil chair Phindile Maxiti said.
The public open space is home to several endangered plant species, which will be protected going forward. To help with the protection, a Friends of the Park group is currently being established.
Last week Roxanne Moses, Subcouncil manager, said that the application of the Friends of the Park is in the process of near completion and that all the other aspects pertaining to the park will be attended to in the new financial year; such as the signage by the parks and recreation department.
Savings within the Ward 5 budget allocation might also be redirected to the Batavia Street Conservancy in the new financial year, as requested by the councillor, Miquette Temlett.
Maxiti indicated that the matter will remain on the agenda until the Friends of the Park, the signage and walkway has been developed.
“Only when that is implemented, then we will remove it. It has been made clear that the fencing cannot be done now as it is a long-term thing. But we will keep this on our radar and will not remove it for now, until these few short-term solutions have been provided,” he said.
Clarity requested
Temlett indicated that it would be important for her as councillor to conduct an oversight of the conservancy, and to get the actual list that the parks and recreation department has said they would provide her about what exactly they are planning for the site.
“I do not want to wait until the savings realise, and until we can start with it in the financial year. I have not received any plan yet, as to what exactly we are going to do. I know that there is signage and a walkway, but there is no actual plan,” she said.
Temlett requested that the parks and recreation department provide her with more information in this regard.
Moses said that as subcouncil they have followed this up with the department, that the councillor has specifically requested a site plan so that she can be able to see where things could be done on the park, and that they will revisit this request, and determine what exactly the department will put in place.
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday 18 April.
