Suburban
Diana Nherera Suburban Reporter
GREENDALE residents have resolved to petition the City of Harare for the proposed conversion of Lot 393 Greendale which is a wetland for residential purposes.
In an interview, town planner Mr Canaan Mugayi said residents are concerned that council wishes to tamper with the suburb’s ecological “breathing lungs.”
“From the Google map of its location, you will see that the property is part of the wetland that stretches from Mukuvisi Woodlands, past Cresta Lodge in Msasa and extending to where Greendale Avenue meets Coronation Avenue.
“It is this wetland that is also suffering from illegal commercial water abstraction.
“Because the area is ecologically sensitive, the Greendale Local Development Plan zoned it for passive recreational purposes, the idea being to conserve and preserve the wetland,” he said.
Mr Mugayi said it is unfortunate that council wants to trivialise the role that open spaces play in a community.
“Apart from providing recreational benefits, open spaces are also important for the health benefits residents derive from their use,” he said.
Recently, Greednale residents warned that there was a serious ecological problem at a small wetland in the suburb which is being systematically destroyed due to developments taking place there.
The area in concern is between Rhodesville Avenue, Mutare Road, Arcturus Road and Amby Drive/Marion Edwards and residents say it is not even designated as a wetland making its protection difficult.
Residents expressed fears the developments on the small Greendale wetland, which include drawing water commercially from the area could lead to the depletion of the water table.
