I would like to point out that the Avis Dam recreational area was developed, and is being maintained, by private initiative.

It was created to give city dwellers the opportunity to enjoy undisturbed natural surroundings and is available as such to all.

A number of those who use it pay to make a security service available so that the area is relatively safe even for women walking alone.

Commercialisation of this green space, of which our capital city has pitifully few, is a complete negation of what the area means to the hundreds of people who use it.

Our municipality does not have a good track record regarding green space - a concept whose importance has been acknowledged by even the biggest cities throughout the world but seems to be beyond the comprehension of our municipal planners.

They seem to believe that fast food joints and shebeens are very suitably situated in residential neighbourhoods and near schools.

As for the ridiculous excuse that it should be made to appeal to a wider audience - Avis Dam is situated on the eastern limits of Windhoek.

In the west there is the Goreangab Dam with as much, if not more, potential - where is the private initiative to develop that area? Many unemployed young people could find a useful way of spending some time laying out hiking trails, cleaning up the rubbish and policing the area.

Goreangab recreational area would be right on the doorstep of thousands of people for whom a trip to Avis Dam would be quite time consuming, not to mention expensive.

I might suggest that the Tintenpalast Gardens are underutilised (not least because no private individuals are paying for security services).

Perhaps a fast food outlet could be put there? How about a roller-skating rink in the Zoo gardens? What is this sudden fixation that the area must appeal to a wider audience? It seems almost suspicious, as though there must be something behind this move.

A fast food outlet way out at the dam just seems bizarre.

And may I point out that a commercialised Avis area will not appeal to a wider audience, just a different one.

This is not particularly fair to those who prefer quiet, peaceful, natural surroundings and who also pay their extremely high municipal dues just like everyone else.

There are plenty of fast food outlets, hotels, shebeens, bars, sports clubs and restaurants in Windhoek already.

This proposed development is unfair to those for whom the area has been a retreat from city life for a long time, the portion of the rate-paying community who are affected because no alternative venue exists or is being offered.

It is quite contrary to sensible environmental management to degrade a reasonably undisturbed natural area such as the Avis recreational area by crass and unnecessary commercialisation, thereby destroying its unique appeal to those who use it.

Rather every effort should be put into reclaiming areas such as the surroundings of Goreangab Dam, which have greater recreational potential for a large number of people, from the dangerous decay that they have fallen into.

Luise Hoffmann Via e-mail

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