Community based activism pays off
The City of Harare (CoH) hit on a great way to save us rates bills by making money in another way. They rent out public spaces (our parks) to weddings. At $300 a time, it is cheap for the wedding party, and makes money for CoH.
However, it annoys the neighbours. Mainly the noise, at very high volumes, until the early morning hours. And then, the next renter is setting up very early (the same day) for the function they have rented it for that evening, which again goes into next morning. There were seven weddings in April 2011. Over four weekends. Which means the CoH was making good money, but the residents of the residential neighbourhood were not getting much rest on their weekends away from work.
Aside from the noise, the events are simply dangerous.
Parking is all conducted on the residential streets, verges, driveways, in the park on the grass and flowerbeds, even the street itself! I once observed the wedding party arriving, all in very high spirits right up to the moment the Mercedes did not stop as the 4WD pickup in front of her stopped and a loud crunching sound was heard with smashing glass. This is a residential neighbourhood – what if a residents child had been the one the Mercedes did not stop for?
The noise, both hooting in joy and rapture, and the PA system with the music. A wedding may be a once in a lifetime event for some lucky people. But if you live nearby, it happens seven times a month. And not just at times in the weekend, but for up to 24 hours of the day. A great party, but not everyone is happy for them, after a while.
In addition, while there is a function, or setting up for the function – the public, the residents of the area, the rates payers they are saving money for – are not allowed to use their park!
Toilet facilities? Who needs them? If there is no toilet available, just sneak off behind the bushes, plenty of them in a park! But when you are one of the one hundred and fifty people at the seventh wedding of the month, it rather smells behind every single bush. It smells in front of every bush for the month after. And sanitary?
So, the residents around Florence Chisholm Park got together. Or were mobilised, by one persistent resident. Meetings were held in the Park (from February 2011) with Staff Members of the Harare Gardens and correspondence was had with the Director of Public Safety. They heard and understood. They made promises (in April 2011). They would look at the rules. They would enforce the regulations. They would phone. They would stop taking bookings (but they were already completely booked up to the end of 2011 – 8 months in advance!). They would try to move them to Harare Central Gardens. Other residents complained. And held meetings. And were given promises. And the CoH staff went to observe the weddings.
And what happened? They parked in the street. The noise was too loud (and late). But, additional ablutions appeared (from one port-a-loo to six!).
And since January 2012 (a year later), there have been no weddings. It is now a residential neighbourhood again. And weddings are still being held, but elsewhere. So, residents can make a difference. Your voice can be heard. You can get what you want. It may take a long time, requires some persistence, and a volume of complaints, but results can be obtained.