Klipriver Park

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=30 BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" style=" border-left: 1px solid #3366CC;" BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Tulbagh Info Information</B></div> <div> Klipriver Park</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="239" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#0099CC HEIGHT= 45 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="local_news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tulbagh News Page 2"><U>Back to Local News</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#0099CC WIDTH="116"><div> <A HREF="sell_klipriver_park_proposal.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sell Klipriver Park proposal"><U>Proposal  to subdivide and sell Klipriver Park</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>Previous correspondence - if any - follows after in sequence below.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>There was once a well run, immaculate and beautiful Resort called The Klipriver Caravan Park. It was well known and a much frequently used resort.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Alas, it has been allowed to be run down to a poor state since Tulbagh Municipality was amalgamated with the Witzenberg Municipality situated in Ceres.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Photos as well as correspondence from irate customers or potential customers are below for general information.</B></div> <bR> <div> These photos on this page show BEFORE and AFTER depictions of the Park over the past ten years or so. The letter from the visitor tells the rest of the sad story of neglect.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="e36e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e3ae1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>Klipriver Park as it was in 2001 - two years after forced amalgamation with the Witzenberg Municipality based in Ceres</B></div> <div> Clearly the resort is not being maintained properly and the Municipal accounts show losses of about R250,000 each tear and that does not include maintenance (or very little) as nearly none has ever been done. Various individuals have complained to the Municipality about the poor state of the Park and individuals and community organisations such as the Tulbagh Residents and Inwoners Forum (TRIF) and political organisations such as the DA branch of Tulbagh, have agitated since about 2004 towards getting the place sold and the money used for the upgrade of our roads which are in a terrible state also. </div> <div> This has all been in vain.  Apparently all attempts to alienate the Park have been objected to by the Local ANC Ward Councillor. She maintains that in the days of Apartheid, brown people were not allowed to swim in the pool at the park and now can do so. So the Park costs the Ratepayer about R1000 a day so that she or others can have the satisfaction of knowing that they can swim there and not many, if any locals actually do.</div> <div> The once beautiful dam has been overtaken by reeds and the once clean river is generally polluted and in general terms, the state of the one proud Park is a disgrace.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="e3ce1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e3ee1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e69e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e6be1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Klipriver Park dam by November 2006</B></FONT><B>. </B>- <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >Note the sewerage in the Klip river. Note also the sewerage manhole cover linking the east to the west chalets over the river does not exist and internal sewerage simply flows out of the manhole into the river!</FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="e6de1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e6fe1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e71e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e73e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="e75e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e77e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e79e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e7be1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>Klipriver Park dam and the klip river as at 26 March 2010</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > - Note the how the reeds have taken over the entire dam except for a tiny portion of about 15 m x 10 m. Note also that the same manhole cover that was missing in 2006 is still missing (and now part of the frame).</FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="e7de1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e81e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e83e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e85e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Klipriver Park swimming pool as at 26 March, 2006 - Note the covers missing from the wiers for (waiting for an accident to happen). Note that the algae has penetrated well into the Marblelite. Note also the crack in the pool! (part of the 40% water losses that the Municipality incurs every year?)</div> <bR> <div> <B>When will this Municipality come to its senses and sell the Park???</B></div> <div> It is NO LONGER an asset as some Councilors maintain!  It is in fact an enormous liability and at about a half a million Rand a year including provision for maintenance over and above the paltry income, a substantial liability one would think? The Municipality's function is to provide services and running resorts at a loss is certainly not their core function?</div> <bR> <div> You be the judge as to whether you think this is a 'lekker' place to bring your family to for a weekend ..... or more?</div> <bR> <div> At one stage, the webmaster hosted a page for Klip river Park on this website but after getting numerous complaints about the state of the Park, the page was removed. It appears as though little has changed - note the letter from an 'EX' visitor to the Park below and others below it.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Letter written by a dissatisfied visitor to the Park which was published in the 9 March 2010 edition of the Tulbagh eNews (no. 394)</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>KLIPRIVIER PARK</B></div> <bR> <div> Graag wil graag die volgende onder u aandag bring insake Kliprivier Park. </div> <bR> <div> Die kragtoevoer van n groot gedeelte van die park is al vanaf middel Januarie 2010 afgeskakel weens swak / geen instandhouding op die elektriese stelsels van die park. Tot op hede neem die Munisipaliteit nog steeds bespreekings vir onderandere paas naweek (die volle geldelike bedrag) of daar nou krag is of nie, die geysers werk nie (geen krag), geen straatligte (geen krag). </div> <bR> <div> Ek wonder net of die Tulbagh publiek bewus is van die situasie, en dat munisipaliteit baie ernstige skade aanrig deur toeruste van julle dorp te hou aangesien ons nie meer n 'park' het om van te praat nie. Ek persoonlik sal nie gou weer na julle dorp kom nie, dit was so 2 tot 3 jaar gelede nog n plesier om met my en my familie by die park te kom, en nou is dit n totale grap.</div> <bR> <div> ONTSTOKE en <B>EX TOERUS</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>As of 26 March, 2010, the electricity supply to the camping sites is disconnected and has been so since January, 2010!</B></div> <div> <B>It has been determined that the installation is totally unsafe. </B></div> <div> <B>Bookings were still being taken for January, February and part of March and many visitors were most irate to discover this only upon arrival. </B></div> <bR> <div> Another email from a very irate Ex visitor?</div> <div> <B>From:</B> <U>Mareldia Assur</U> </div> <div> <B>To:</B> <U>david@witzenberg.gov.za</U> </div> <div> <B>Cc:</B> <U>info@tulbagh.net</U> </div> <div> <B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, March 31, 2010 10:03 AM</div> <div> <B>Subject:</B> Very irritated </div> <bR> <div> Good day Mr Naatson</div> <bR> <div> After visiting Klipriver Park a couple of years ago, I convinced my family and friends that we should camp there over the Easter weekend. </div> <div> Everybody agreed and after making a booking and paying a deposit we thought all was well. We all were very exciting about camping inTulbagh, especially since the family hasn’t been there yet – not to mention my 11 year old son who’s was looking forward to his first camping experience! </div> <bR> <div> Much to our surprise, we received a call from the resort saying that there will be no electricity over the Easter weekend. This still did not dampen our spirits as we were ready for the cold water and darkness and even organized a generator for our electrical needs. Yet again, we were all ready set to go!</div> <bR> <div> I made a call to the resort and spoke to Maria and was assured that all was fine for us to arrive on Thursday 1<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >st</FONT> April. Transport arrangements had been made and all the camping equipment was sorted - and of course, everybody was very excited. </div> <div> Well, well what do you know?? My friend phoned the resort on Monday 29<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> March and they advised him that they wouldn’t be allowing anybody on the camp sites because it’s a health hazard! Now I am asking …how long did Witzenberg Municipality know about this and why did they take bookings and deposits for the Easter weekend if they were aware of this??</div> <div> As you are aware, it is difficult to find accommodation over the Easter weekend, so after numerous calls to various people, I have still not succeeded in finding a place to stay.</div> <bR> <div> Much to my disappointment, I will have had to tell my children and friends that we won’t be going anywhere for the holidays.</div> <div> I would like to know how the Witzenberg municipality is going to compensate me and my family for the fact that we were unable to have a holiday?</div> <bR> <div> I in return spoke to Mr Jacobs on the 30<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> March and still had no response…..</div> <div> I look forward to your response.</div> <bR> <div> Best regards,</div> <bR> <div> Mareldia Assur</div> <bR> <div> <B>Letter written by an irate previous visitor to the Park on 14 May, 2010 who cannot seem to get a booking for 4 units! </B></div> <bR> <div> To Whom It May Concern</div> <bR> <div> Myself and my family wish to visit the park again this year as we have</div> <div> done so in the past ( +- 4 years ago for 3 consecutive years) we stopped</div> <div> visiting the park as we were just very unlucky not to get a booking each</div> <div> year. The last year we went, I called and asked for any available</div> <div> accommodation I was told that there wasn't any, when I got off the phone I</div> <div> handed the phone to my friend who speaks Afrikaans and he got a booking!!!</div> <bR> <div> I was really irritated but we went anyway.</div> <div> It was then that I realized that something is not being done properly. For</div> <div> the past 4 years myself and my family have been trying to get a booking,</div> <div> when we call we are told to call at / on a later date when we do so we are</div> <div> told "it's too late" there are no more chalets available. I am in contact</div> <div> with a few people who go there every year and they already have a</div> <div> booking???</div> <bR> <div> I've worked in the travel and tourism industry and to my knowledge when</div> <div> you say that bookings are to be done from the 1st of June it applies to</div> <div> everyone. Please explain why this has been happening. We are so desperate</div> <div> to come to the park we were thinking of driving there (from Cape Town) and</div> <div> booking our chalet's but I just didn't see why we have to go through so</div> <div> much trouble just for a booking, shouldn't "business be business" .</div> <bR> <div> I await your soonest reply </div> <bR> <div> Also if we are allowed to book may I book the below</div> <div> please.</div> <div> 2 x 6/8 sleeper chalets</div> <div> 2 x 4/6 sleeper chalets</div> <div> Please forward bank details and all necessary info to</div> <div> <U>anastasia.naude@webmobile.co.za</U></div> <bR> <div> I wish to hear a positive reply</div> <bR> <div> Kind Regards</div> <div> Anastasia Hans</div> <div> 073 969 1390</div> <div> 083 521 5750</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width=28 style=" border-top: 1px solid #0066CC; border-left: 1px solid #0066CC;border-right: 1px solid #0066CC; border-bottom: 1px solid #0066CC;" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>