February 22, 2006
By Lucille Davie
JOBURG'S flagship park, Zoo Lake, turns 100 this year, and the city's people are being asked to contribute to its celebrations.
The organisers hope to mark the centenary in three ways: by rehabilitating the bird island, planting 100 indigenous trees and establishing a satellite police station at the lake.
A R40 000 donation has already been made for the rehabilitation of the bird island near the south-eastern side of the lake, says Lucy Taylor, coordinator of the Zoo Lake Users' Committee. Up to 15 new trees will be planted, and signs on the banks of the lake will tell the public what birds live on the island.
Ornithologist Geoff Lockwood says the island is home to four bird species: black-headed herons, grey herons, cattle egrets and sacred ibis, all gregarious birds that nest and roost communally.
The rehabilitation will involve improving the island's attractiveness by planting papyrus reed around its edge. "The reed will also be used by birds for building nests," Lockwood says. Planting more trees and placing imitation-wood platforms on the island will also improve its potential as a roosting and nesting site.
The birds' droppings are a serious problem for the trees. "The droppings coat the trees and burn the foliage," says Lockwood. The platforms would be able to tolerate this damage.
A public meeting is to be held on Thursday, 23 February, to discuss the rehabilitation of the island.
A hundred trees for a hundred years
As a second part of the centenary birthday celebration, 100 new indigenous trees will be planted on Arbor Day in the parklands around the lake. The cost of the trees will be borne by Moyo, which recently opened a new restaurant at the lake, its third in the city.
And third, Taylor hopes to finally raise the last R250 000 needed to create a satellite police station at the lake. So far R270 000 has been raised for this purpose, donated by Chubb, but a further R250 000 is still needed to convert an old storeroom into the station.
"With this project, the Zoo Lake Users' Committee's aim is, in a nutshell, to increase park safety and to raise awareness of functions, facilities and amenities in the park, and to ensure further degeneration of the surrounds does not occur," says Taylor.
The 60-year old storeroom, in need of restoration
The storeroom, probably 60 years old and about the size of three garages, is a solid structure finished in burgundy, beige and green trimmings, with Canadian shingle roof, badly in need of repair. Taylor hopes to transform it into a multipurpose structure, housing an information kiosk, a police station, a kitchenette and toilet. Awnings, benches and paving will complete the renovation.
Taylor hopes to raise funds by holding three concerts during the year in the conference room of Moyo restaurant, featuring classical music and jazz. Several book sales, courtesy of Aida Parks estate agency, will also be held.
"The maintenance of this park contributes to the city's standing as a world-class destination and Zoo Lake's status as one of the city's flagship parks," she says.
Impressive number of projects
The committee has undertaken an impressive number of projects at Zoo Lake, the most important of which is the refurbishment in 2002 of the 69-year-old fountain in the lake. The concrete base was reinforced and painted, and the 16 red and green lights below the rim of the fountain replaced. They are once again working, shining brightly against the spray from the water jets, also replaced in the renovation.
Department of art, culture and heritage donated R100 000 towards the project, matching an equal amount raised by the committee. The fountain will be repainted this year, with donated paint.
Other projects completed at the lake include new bins and signs, three drinking fountains, the establishment of a river trail, upgraded footpaths, a water quality improvement programme, a new playground, tree planting, and a doves of peace statue.
In partnership with JCP, the community has been involved in litter collection, painting fences and toilets, and placing clay balls in the upper dams to restore the ecosystem and clean the water.
The opening of Moyo near the lake has dramatically improved the popularity of the park, as people flock to take in the pleasant ambience of the restaurant.
History of Zoo Lake
Zoo Lake is unique in that it has remained open to all races throughout its 100-year history. In 1904 a private forest called the Sachenwald was given as a "Deed of Gift" to "the inhabitants of Johannesburg … to be used for the purpose of a public park" and to be called the Hermann Eckstein Park.
The forest was planted with pine trees by the mine owners of Corner House, for use in mine shafts. The forest was used by Joburgers for picnics and horse-riding, and housed an odd collection of wild animals, brought back from bush trips by Percy Fitzpatrick.
The land that is now Zoo Lake was marshy and unsuitable for development but in 1906 the city decided to build a miniature lake, as a poverty relief measure in the depression that followed the South African War of 1899 to 1902. The Corner House owners donated the land to the city, with its all-races stipulation, in memory of one of their partners, Hermann Eckstein, who died prematurely.
The zoo was part of the donation, incorporating Fitzpatrick's animal collection. From the 1920s the park itself became known as Zoo Lake, a name that has stuck. It is a popular recreation area, with a jazz concert and a carols by candlelight event taking place every year.
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