The multi-million rand Makana Greening Project, which is aimed at beautifying and greening Makana, is well in progress and the project manager says it will be finished in December as planned.
The multi-million rand Makana Greening Project, which is aimed at beautifying and greening Makana, is well in progress and the project manager says it will be finished in December as planned.
The project includes the construction of three recreational parks in Joza and making the water spring on the road to Port Alfred safer to access .
The project was conceptualised in 2006 after the Makana Municipality's Community and Social Services directorate developed a strategic vision to boost the aesthetics of the region and stimulate local economic development and tourism.
It also aims to promote the area's unique natural environment through implementing connected projects. Africoast Engineers was awarded the tender for the project and the project's manager Thando Bili says 79 jobs have since been created for local people.
One of the parks, Sani Park in Joza's Sani Street, was completed earlier this year but Bili said that it is the municipality's prerogative to decide on the opening date. Work in the Zion Dam Park in Extension 6 is also going smoothly with most of the park already finished.
The project involves the construction of eight braai areas, paving and indigenous gardens. The park is protected by a perimeter fence. “We are currently busy with the braai facilities, cleaning the bridge and finishing the walkway which is 90 percent complete,” said Bili.
“The fencing is also there and we are just waiting for the municipality to tell us which trees to plant and when is the right time to plant them.” Last month construction work started at the Phumlani Recreational Park; an open area that used to be an illegal dumping site. Bili said the park is also expected to be finished by December.
“We are currently busy with the walkway and the tables and benches; everything is going on smoothly,” said Bili. According to Makana Parks and Recreation manager Kevin Bates, people living next to the parks are going to benefit from the R10 million project.
The funds came from the former Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. “When the parks are finished we will have contracts with people living next them, so that they can look after them to avoid vandalism and those people will be paid,” said Bates.
