Alan Clow, Somerset West
As a long-time rate-payer and 12-year veteran of walking my dogs at Radloff Park, my views:
1. Radloff Park has been an off-lead dog walking area for over 50 years; why change now?
2. The area proposed is tiny in relation to the whole area of the park and thus not viable.
3. Due to the size of the proposed area and the number of dogs, this area will be a mud bath in winter and a dust bowl in summer.
4. It is a proven fact that dogs on lead tend to be more aggressive than dogs walking off-lead; with a minor proportion of exceptions to the rule. I am an advanced military dog handler and understand dog psychology well.
5. In 12 years of walking my dogs in this park I have never seen a dog fight; the odd squabble only.
6. The presence of off-lead dogs in Radloff Park has improved the safety of the general public in that vagrants are chased off.
7. Who will police this by-law? Could these persons not be more productively employed ensuring the safety of all citizens of the Helderberg basin?
8. The money spent on this fence could be more productively spent on policing, or improving the lives of the Lwandle community.
10. I proposal the entire area between the sloot and the river, from the bottom of the park to the road crossing at the top of the park be leash-free at all times.
More letters on p7
See Bolander online for more Radloff letters
Councillor Stuart Pringle responds:
Radloff Park is a very special part of Somerset West, and I’m grateful for all the submissions to the City’s proposal to establish an opportunity for people to lawfully run their dogs off lead, in terms of a designated area and/or times, as set out in the City of Cape Town’s animal by-law.
Particular note has been taken about concerns that the area proposed is far too small and does not enable access to the river, which I will ensure the sub council takes into consideration when it formulates its decision, and I wish to reassure residents that the City’s planning office has not received any proposals regarding business and/or residential development on Radloff Park, nor any indications that there are any such plans in the pipeline.
