Suburban
The Ballantyne Park Conservancy Trust (BPCT) is screening a movie called “Jungle Book” at the park as a fundraising initiative to source money for the maintenance of the park.
Ivan Zhakata Suburban Reporter
The movie will be screened on Saturday September 25 at 6:30 pm and interested residents have been urged to bring their own chairs and blankets.
“Jungle Book” is a live-action computer-generated imagery remake of Walt Disney’s 1967 animated film of the same name.
The BPCT chairperson Ms Sue Burr said the screening of the movie was one of the fundraising activities which the trust undertakes to raise money for the maintenance of the park.
“The movie screening is a fundraising for Ballantyne park,” she said.
An admission fee of a US$20 per family ticket will cover up to five people while and extra US$5 will be charged for an additional person.
At the movie, people will be treated to Mexican food, popcorn, hot and cool drinks but cooler boxes are not allowed.
In 2017, the BPCT made several renovations to three of its parks namely Ballantyne, Blair and Staley aimed at providing a conducive environment for residents looking for a place to relax while enjoying nature.
Since their last meeting in May 2016, the BPCT repaired ablution blocks by replacing all the outside piping, toilets and basins and where necessary cleaning and painting the inside, repairing the roof and painting the fascia boards outside as well as replacing the window panes and latches.
A borehole pump was installed by Norman Minter and the park has running water which is pumped into a storage tank from it is drawn to the taps.
Two years later, the trust established a new playground in the recreational park aimed at bringing the community together.
BPCT also reopened the bridge in the park after revamping it, a development which has seen the park being regarded as one of the most beautiful recreational parks in Harare.
The opening of the playground and the bridge was done concurrently with a pancake breakfast which was a fundraiser for other projects which needed to be done at the park.
Last month, the Ballantyne Park Nature Reserve dismissed reports which circulated on social media that it was charging nature lovers and residents to gain access into the park.
Messages reportedly posted on social media platforms claimed nature lovers and residents were being charged a US$10 entrance fee to get into the park for any activities.
But Ms Burr said they do not charge people to access the park but only charge those who would want to do commercial activities.
“It has come to our attention that we are asking people to pay US$10 entrance fee to enter the park. This is of course not true as being circulated on social media,” she said.
