Community enraged as vandals target iconic Allanridge Civic Centre in Kariega
17 Mar 2022 | Kirstie Paulse
The iconic Allanridge Civic Centre before vandals destroyed it brick by brick
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The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has heeded the calls of residents in Kariega to address the continued vandalism of the town's iconic Allanridge Civic Centre, named after the late politician, Reverend Allan Hendrickse.
That's after community members called for an urgent public meeting with Safety and Security MMC, Lawrence Troon.
The hall became the target of vandals during the hard Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 - despite it being located directly across from the Kamesh Police Station.
Before then, hundreds of events and concerts were hosted at the community hall which has the capacity to accommodate over 1 000 people.
Residents have now called on the Municipality to intervene as the vandalism has drastically increased over the past few months.
The broken windows, pipes ripped out of the walls, stolen doors, ceiling sheets, toilets, basins, tiles, and wooden flooring paint a bleak picture.
The adjoining library is possibly the worst affected, with books strewn across the floor and thousands of bricks which use to make up the walls, stolen.
Speaking to AlgoaFM News on Wednesday, MMC Troon said political parties who are delaying the process of passing the Metro's R15 billion adjustment budget are not helping the situation.
An attempt to adopt the budget during a council meeting fell flat last week after 60 councillors from parties including the Democratic Alliance, EFF, Freedom Front Plus, and UDM voted against it.
Troon said funds to hire private security to protect municipal buildings has, however, been allocated in the budget but he could not say what the amount was.
Troon added that the community in the surrounding areas of Joe Slovo, Blikkiesdorp, Gerald Smith, Thomas Gamble, and Rosedale need to take responsibility and mobilise against criminal elements.
"It is so sad to see people complain to the media, and on Facebook, yet it is our people from our communities that do this," he said.
Troon initially said he would only attend the community meeting if a formal letter requesting his presence was written.
Community representative Elroy Ward, who called for the meeting, has since confirmed that the portfolio head will attend.
Ward said he was devastated by the destruction of the hall which was once a magical place.
He recalled attending his eldest daughter's Uitenhage Primary School debutante ball back in 1995, and her 21st birthday party which was held at the hall years later.
"It first breaks your heart and then anger creeps in because we have lost a community asset," he said.
Other community members who also attended functions at the venue over the years, including weddings and concerts, shared their heartache over the ruins.
Ward said Infrastructure and Engineering MMC Stag Mitchell will also join the meeting and a date and time for the gathering will be communicated soon.
