Pretoria - The once thriving Magnolia Dell Park in Queen Wilhemina Drive in Muckleneuk, is still in a state of neglect despite promises to give it a new face.
The park has long been a beloved treasure for residents and visitors to the capital city. Known for its stunning natural beauty and numerous recreational activities, the park was a popular destination for families and nature enthusiasts.
But in recent years it has been neglected and though it was announced in 2021 that the park would be restored to its former beauty, nothing has changed.
In 2021 business owners, city councillors, ratepayers’ association members and museum managers gathered to discuss the rehabilitation of the facility.
Asked by the Pretoria News if there has been progress since the announcement in 2021, Huckleberry’s Restaurant owner Dylan Brewers said: “Lack of funds is one of the reasons the park is like this.
“We have been engaging the municipality and, on our side, we try to maintain certain parts of it from our own pockets, but we don’t always have a budget for it,” he said. The restaurant is located in the park.
The restoration of Magnolia Dell Park was intended to enhance the natural beauty of the park and make it an even more attractive destination for tourists and locals alike. The project was intended to improve the infrastructure of the park, add new amenities, and provide better access to the grounds. Despite these plans, none of the proposed changes have been carried out.
As a result, the park remains with many of the features of the park in disrepair.
Zanazo Ntuli, who said she used to frequent the park in her childhood, said: “There may be several reasons why the park has not been restored since the announcement. It could be due to a lack of funding or political will. It is just sad that other priorities were seen to be more urgent. It remains a great pity that this once wonderful resource has not been invested in.”
The restoration of Magnolia Dell Park is long overdue. Unfortunately, despite the numerous benefits of investing in public parks and open spaces, it seems that those in charge have failed to act.
Pretoria News