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parties, including Johannesburg City
Parks and Zoo (JCPZ), Joburg Heritage,
Johannesburg Urban Forest Alliance (JUFA)
and the Johannesburg Roads Agency
(JRA). She also held several meetings with
the Department of Environmental Affairs
to obtain permission to fell a number of
exotic trees in the area. This was done
taking into account the fact that existing
owl populations require nesting spots in
urban areas.

After considerable negotiations,
permission was granted to fell a number
of pine, poplar and tipuana trees, many
of which were very old and structurally
impaired due to having been infected by
the Shothole Borer beetle, or hollowed
Pathways are constructed of Corobrick Environmental aspects and chal- out by vagrants’ fires. Their removal allows
Graphite and Infraset Rossway pavers in an lenges for much more light to enter the park
attractive charcoal colour. The boundary space, enabling the planting of lawn and
wall was designed by the architects and Marais says the design of the park shrubs in previously bare areas. Marais also
falls within the aesthetic of a neighbouring required a number of presentations designed for several new indigenous trees
park across the road on Keyes Avenue. to the various stakeholders. Redefine’s to be planted.
Corobrik facebrick was again used to Development Department secured the
connect the theme through the park. necessary approvals from the required Despite the lengthy delays in obtaining
various Local Authority approvals, the
park landscaping was initiated very close
Above and below: Level 21 of the building, the clubhouse and pool. Plants on this level are to completion of the principal building
hardy and wind resistant as the area is very exposed. They have been planted on the outer edge project.
of a transparent enclosure wall.
On site environmental challenges were:
• Old trees with dying branches posing a
public safety risk;
• trees along the boundary of Park
Central which had lost their roots during
excavation of the basement;
• vagrants living in the park, with
pollution, littering, damage to trees by
fires made by them, and a safety risk
to the public using the space between
Keyes and Sturdee Avenues;
• a derelict state of the soft landscaping,
paving and fencing;
• a parking area used mostly by people
buying drugs from the lingering dealers.

Adopt a Park
In February 2019, Redefine was informed
of the “Adopt a Park” route towards
approval and a design proposal was
tabled, addressing the following aspects:
• removal of trees deemed risky;
• demolition and rehabilitation of the
abovementioned parking area;
• earthworks/shaping of the park
to form berms which would slow
down stormwater runoff, encourage
absorption of water and reduce the risk
of erosion;
• paved pathways to improve pedestrian
movement between Sturdee and Keyes
Avenues. This forms an integral part
of the Rosebank Crosswalk between
Jan Smuts Avenue and Oxford Road.
Exisiting pathway routes were re-

10 Landscape SA • Issue 92 2020