Green paradise no more

Zoo Park is clearly a shadow of its former self without the rolling green lawns.
Staff Reporter
What was once a clean and lush green paradise park for relaxation is now a parched and dry grass shoo park.

The Zoo Park in the heart of Windhoek has been reduced to an eye sore park by its residents and climate.

Photographers who usually eke out a living by taking photos at the Zoo Park are complaining about the state of the park and how the filthy condition has affected their business.

“Everyone likes to take photos here, but although we get people who want to have photos taken here, the environment at the park does not render it useful anymore,” said a photographer who did not want to be identified.

He said some of his customers no longer want to have photos taken at the park.

Due to the water crisis, the City of Windhoek was forced to prohibit the use of water for lawns and gardens.

The lawn-watering ban has also led to the closure of many soccer fields who fall under the jurisdiction of the municipality.

Chairperson of Green Space Namibia, a non-governmental organisation that manages open urban spaces in Windhoek, Ulla von Holtz, highlighted the importance of areas like Zoo Park to residents.

“The moment anyone gets into nature your whole being gets affected. As human beings we need nature and we need space where we can go and feel safe,” she said.

Von Holtz said green spaces are important for many reasons.

“It makes people feel alive and in tune with the environment and green places give living space for animals such as birds, beetles, insects and mongoose that have a right to co-habitate with us,” she said.

Von Holtz also added that areas like Zoo Park would be an ideal place for children to play.

“Such areas assist in creativity and they assist in physical activity. It is important to create places where people can exercise in a safe environment and Zoo Park could be such an environment.”

Thomas Kaura, who says he regularly visits the park, says he is not bothered by the deteriorating condition. “There is nothing that we can do, that’s just how it looks and it is fine the way it is, I love coming here as bad as it is,” said Kaura.

The park is littered with plastic bags, broken bottles, dead plant leaves and several packets of condoms.

The brown patches of dead grass are also common sight.

Zoo Park is managed by the parks and reaction department of the City of Windhoek municipality. Uakazuwaka Kazombiaze, the parks and recreation acting manager said the city is well aware of the condition of the park adding that plans are underway to improve its look in the near future.

“We are all aware of the natural disaster that happened during the past year and there was not enough water,” said Kazombiaze.

Pure water

Kazombiaze said that Zoo Park does not have a semi-purified water connection system for irrigation stating that the park uses pure water.

“Due to the water shortage, our dams were half empty and we cut off pure water supply to the Zoo Park so that we could make water available for our citizens.” Kazombiaze said the city is working on rehabilitating Zoo Park with the assistance of horticulture experts. “The whole of Zoo Park needs horticultural therapy and it needs to be resurfaced and to be redone,” said Kazombiaze.

He further called on all residents to ensure that the park is taken care of and to avoid littering the park. “The facilities have been constructed for the public and the community. What we expect is for the public to take ownership and responsibility in terms of avoiding vandalism and we need to keep the facilities tidy,” said Kazombiaze.

Kazombiaze said the sorry state of the park has affected self- employed photographers who earn a living by taking photographs.

He said because of the poor state of the park at the moment, people do not go there anymore to have photos taken.

“We are aware and we are trying our level best to restore Zoo Park in terms of greenery,” said Kazombiaze.

SHONA NGAVA

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-22

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