Settlers Park dog walkers’ leashes have been yanked by the deplorable state of the park.
Used and unused condoms, broken bottles, crumbling infrastructure and countless other problems, including a raw sewage spillage, plague the once-pristine green gem.
A group of nature lovers recently had a torrid time taking their pets on a walk through the area.
Indigenous flora, grassed areas and rock pools with stepping stones have been ravaged, while a flower display house has been stripped brick by brick.
A maquette of the 1820 Settlers statue is nowhere in sight, leaving many wondering where it is.
Luc Hosten was part of a group of four walking their dogs along the area when upbeat excitement turned into a cold shiver.
“The display house has no flowers, half the roof is missing, and the nursery where plants were propagated is derelict,” he told Weekend Post.
“The maquette is not there [because] it’s supposedly in storage to prevent it from being damaged.
“Grassed areas, especially at the bottom of the valley, have not been mown, increasing the [likelihood] of snakes, glass and [other dangers].
“There are also condoms along the path.
“The park is still beautiful — the nature and trees are still rampant — but the flowers and the grass are long and unkempt.”
He said the municipality had seemingly done nothing to resolve the sewage problem.
“The walk down to the valley from the parking area, which incidentally is in good condition, is covered in a layer of sewage.
“There’s a burst pipe somewhere.
“The authorities are [apparently] aware of it but have done nothing about it.”
Compounding the eyesore was zero maintenance of trees or flower beds, Hosten said.
Meanwhile, security is bare.
“There used to be security guards who accompanied people on walks in the park,” Hosten said.
“They used to be proud, but have left and no longer work there.”
“One guard took pride in that there were no attacks when he was working.
Settlers Park covers 76ha on the banks of the Baakens River and contains a unique diversity of plant life and about 120 species of birds.
Small animals such as grysbok and mongoose have been known to frolic in the area, with leguaan and terrapin found by the river.
Local wildlife expert Marizanne Kemp Ferreira, who had joined Hosten and two others, said a ram had been knocked down near Target Kloof Road as it dashed across the road.
She said she suspected the ram had been chased by uncontrolled dogs or illegal hunting dogs.
“Wildlife such as grysbok, blue and common duikers, mongoose and otters are gone — all hunted illegally. There’s nothing left,” Kemp Ferreira said.
A senior conservationist in the Bay environmental management department, Luthando Crab, previously said the municipality was concerned about roaming dogs.
“It is a big challenge.
“We have seen wildlife disappearing in numbers.
“We’re trying to educate the public and are putting up signs [cautioning for] dogs to be put on a leash.
“We need to engage with communities to avoid a backlash from dog lovers.”
Questions were sent to the municipality, but no response was received by the time of publication.
HeraldLIVE