Progress made on Mayville park revamp

AFTER a slow start due to staffing shortages during lockdown last year, progress is on track for the imminent completion of the revamp of the park in Charles Henwood Road, Mayville.

Speaking about the work on the park this week, Maliga Naidoo from local NPO, the Leisure and Recreation Association of South Africa (LARASA), said she is pleased things are finally on track with the project, which is a partnership between Capital Hospital developers, Conforth Investments (Pty) Ltd, the Parks Department and LARASA.

The revamp project was launched in June 2019 after the developers, who had been using the park to store building equipment and rubble, committed to restore and improve the park at its cost on completion of construction work at the hospital.

LARASA wanted to be involved in developing the park together with the community and a community forum was formed to liaise with residents to develop the park.

Together with architectural students from UKZN, plans were drawn up for the layout of the park, which includes zones to cater for all age groups.

Since inception, flood lights have been installed to light up the park, LARASA installed gym equipment, the park has been leveled, the developer has grassed the area, and playground equipment has been installed.

“Covid-19 halted work at the park, however work has once again started and we are on track. The area was paved last week, and the Parks Department has started on the herb garden and hedging this week. I had a meeting with the local children at the weekend, asking them for ideas, and what they have suggested is similar to the plans we have for the park,” said Naidoo.

She said there wasn’t much more to be done, and she hoped the park would be ready by the end of March.

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“We are still going to complete the playground and will instal a cargo net going up the bank and a slide on the bank. The playground will be nature-based with logs for the children to play on, and nothing will be too invasive. The children are also keen to see the herb garden.

“We will work on the quiet zone and will try to accommodate a labyrinth for mobile patients from the hospital to enjoy. The Parks Department has put in indigenous trees and everything is coming together nicely.”

Naidoo said this would be an intergenerational park where parents could interact with their children, She said she was pleased that the Parks Department had agreed to maintain the park every two weeks.

“I am excited that this park is almost complete and the community can get to enjoy it, as it has taken far too long. This park will meet the requirements of global trends for parks – it is within a 10 minute walk, is eco-friendly, intergenerational and meets the needs for destressing and recreation,” she said.

Naidoo encouraged the adult population living around the park to also take ownership of this space.

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