Blue Gums - Safety first

It is the duty of Phumelela Gaming and Leisure and Kenilworth Racing to protect each and every visitor, staff member and punter who enter a racecourse under its jurisdiction. When safety becomes a risk, steps need to be taken to nullify the problem. That is what has happened with the removal of part of the blue gums at Kenilworth Racecourse recently.

NOVEMBER 1, 2017
With the Western Cape going through possibly the worst drought in history, focus is on water preservation and doing what is right for the area. At Kenilworth Racecourse the situation is no different!

The blue gums or Eucalyptus globulus as they are officially known are alien trees to Southern Africa. A section of these trees at Kenilworth had to be removed recently due to the serious safety risk they posed to staff, visitors and punters alike. The cost of maintaining the trees had escalated enormously in recent times and branches had become brittle with the water shortage, were breaking and falling randomly which caused damage to vehicles and part of Betting World building’s roof structure during a recent storm.

Blue gums also consume anything from 20-200 litres of water daily per tree depending on the area, water table and environment.

A decision was taken by stakeholders to consult with “specialists” in this area. The stakeholders were advised by an arborist and health and safety officer, that the gum trees had become dangerous and unsafe and that it was their recommendation that the gum trees be removed.

When safety is compromised, measures have to be taken to ensure there are no injuries or worse are incurred. Regrettably the gum tress had to be removed as a last resort and the safety of all staff, visitors and punters prioritised.

I am hearing that all it not what the press release says it is.

Just say what you've heard OTA.......why so cryptic?

PK

There is the truth and then there is what we are allowed to post, OTA is correct .

That press release is I believe from what I gather is not the real reason for cutting down the trees.

We are often blamed for bringing the game down , we don't have to do that , the operators are doing it themselves with our money that they take from every single tote bet we on this platform takes .

to me the piece is a deflection and a typical bureaucratic reply at the ready but the real reason must be in the name of development

Slightly off topic, but wasn't there rezoning plans proposed for Kenilworth not so long ago

.....smacks of an after thought retort....it is about time that when decisions like these are made they have all stake holders involved.....like a trainer representative, course maintenance rep jockey rep, punters rep( yes they said they are doing this to also protect the punter so who is going to represent them).....FFS those trees are also a wind break to protect the course from drying out....yes the blue gum does take in a lot of water as they state.....but what is the point of trying to water the track when the wind will be drying the track faster than the blue gums can suck up the water.....I just hope they do not plan the same trick at Durbanville as those Blue Gums are there as much needed shade and the best wind breakers nature can provide..... :whistle:

I enjoyed a comment on the subject left on SP to which he is almost correct in his assumptions , but it will be swept under the carpet once again. - one of the sad parts about this is that Robyn Louw wrote a great piece on this - The cat is now out of the bag and the Editor of SP doesn't protect his writer when the Operators come with these excuses - It almost makes her out to be a type of liar or a journalist that never did her homework. -

Quote :-
" 1.) Would they please quote which arborist made this recommendation? I would like to give him/her a call and verify.
2.) Protecting punters? When last did you spy a punter on Kenilworth racecourse?
3.) Branches often sheer off trees during storms. Let’s cut down ALL trees to be on the safe side.
4.) There’s a rumour ( yes! RUMOUR) doing the rounds that this action came as a result of the desire to create more space for a marquee in that area on Met Day. ( Insert) I actually think its for the Lanzerac Day ) - Be interesting to see where that marquee is sited come the end of January. We’ll be watching….
5.) Are owners, members & (non-existent) punters not stakeholders? Not a whisper to them before, during or after the act.
6.) With typical spinelessness no ‘official’ puts there name to the release.

would be nice if 3 or 4 Doringbome (Vachellia = en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vachellia_karroo ) could go in the hole the ex bluegums left, asap, so shade could be got.

More people die getting hit by a falling Gumtree' than by Amish Terrorists. So i guess Phumalela had no choice.

.....surely if the tree's were in fact a danger.....why not simply fence off the area and post signs about the dangers of falling dry limbs....but no they were also thirsty trees according to tree experts...... who no doubt were going to be paid to cut down the trees..... so their input was biased....but what is more perplexing is W(ho)TF is the health and safety officer ......do they have a person in that position employed by Kenilworth racing.....

- Join the Dots - It has nothing to do with the trees . The trees are an excuse .

The SP Comment Suggested :-

"There’s a rumour ( yes! RUMOUR) doing the rounds that this action came as a result of the desire to create more space for a marquee in that area on Met Day. ( Insert) I actually think its for the Lanzerac Day ) - Be interesting to see where that marquee is sited come the end of January. We’ll be watching…."