Ballantyne Park Conservancy meeting rescheduled

Suburban Reporter

The meeting to celebrate the granting of another 10 years to the Ballantyne Park Conservancy Trust (BPCT), to run and take care of the three parks in the Ballantyne Conservancy, has been rescheduled from Sunday April 14 to Sunday April 28, 2024.

A notice sent to Highlands residents this week advised them of the change of the date due to forecasted rains.

Last week, the BPCT advised residents that the City of Harare had granted them another decade to take care of the three parks namely Ballantyne, Blair and Staley.

“The Ballantyne Conservancy has been granted another 10 years to take care of the three parks, Ballantyne, Blair and Staley. We cannot do without your support! You are invited to a morning of celebration, with coffee and croissants. Due to the forecasted rain the date has changed (to) Sunday 28 April 2024. We look forward to meeting you all,” read the invitation.

The celebration will be held between 9.30 am to 12 midday in the park.

Residents congratulated BPCT official Mrs Sue Burr for her dedication and the team’s effort to maintain the three parks.

Of late, the trust has been appealing for donations to fence off the Blair and Staley Parks following the killing of two red billed ducks in the Blair Dam. Well-wishers are requested to drop off their donations at Ballantyne Park pharmacy or with the caretaker Simon at the park. It is reported that two women were seen with two dogs in the park and the dogs chased and killed the two ducks. Dogs must be on a lead when in the Blair and Staley Dams but some residents do not obey the rules. The two women hurriedly left the park after the attack.

In 2014 the City of Harare signed a Memorandum of agreement with the BPCT to restore and maintain the three parks. The trust organises popular fundraising breakfasts and other activities on a monthly basis for the maintenance of the parks.

For the past 10 years, BPCT has made several renovations to three parks to provide a conducive and relaxing environment for residents.

BPCT has repaired an ablution block by replacing all the outside piping, toilet seats and basins where necessary, cleaning and painting the inside, repairing the roof and painting the fascia boards outside, replacing the window panes and latches.

A borehole pump has been installed by Norman Minter and there is now running water into the tank donated by Carbon Green Zimbabwe and erected by George and Sally Wentzel.

Orca was supplying water to the ablution blocks before the borehole came into use.

Electricity has been installed to three of the spot lights around the park, including the spotlight at the entrance of the park next to the police post.

The caretaker’s cottage has been electrified. The trust makes use of the cottage when holding breakfast meetings and other fundraising events for the upkeep of the parks.

The dam wall which caused concern in 2017 was repaired with the help and advice from two dam engineers led by Peter Morris.

James Carnergie and his family donated a table and benches in memory of their father.

The sides of the bridge that crosses the river which runs from Staley Park to Blair Park, which had collapsed were rebuilt with the assistance local gardeners.

To conserve underground water supplies, a number of gum trees in Blair Park were felled and removed from the park.

“Ballantyne Park dams represent a gem of a wetland in this suburb.  A gem, not only by its beauty, but by the ecological and recreational value of the green space. It has many supporters who assist in a variety of ways in its upkeep.

‘‘As a result of the care and support the park receives, many species of birds are now seen in the area, including the popular red bishops,” Mrs Burr told Suburban in a previous interview.