My Town: John and Beth love Randpark
Residents of 20 years believe Randpark is a suburb improving all the time.
Meet: John Neale and Beth Libby-Neale
Residents – Randpark Ext. 2, on the border with Robin Hills.
How long have you lived in your suburb?
Nearly 20 years.
What do you love most about your area?
There are a few things that we love about the area. One is that it has easy access to amenities, including many shopping centres, schools, hospitals, parks and parkruns, and the nearby Randburg Sports Complex. It’s also a serene and beautiful area, and it’s a great place to walk one’s dogs at the end of the day. The spectacular springtime display of the jacaranda trees, especially in Cherry Drive, is one of the annual highlights.
What makes your area unique?
We have an active residents’ association, the Robins Residents and Ratepayers Association or RRRA. One of the unique features of the RRRA is that it organises regular weekend ‘sundowner’ events, where residents are invited to gather at the top of the Robin’s Koppie on a Saturday afternoon and socialise over a few drinks and snacks. It’s a great way to meet and get to know the local residents, while viewing the setting sun over the treetop canopy below.
Where do you go locally to unwind or spend the afternoon?
My wife and I usually go to the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens in Emmarentia to run, to walk the dogs, or to walk with friends. It’s not in our immediate area, but it’s a beautiful facility that is easily accessible from where we live.
In what ways have your area improved recently?
Joburg Water has been undertaking a long-term project to replace the ageing water reticulation infrastructure in our area. It has taken a long time, and been very disruptive, with our pavements, verges and driveways being dug up, and piles of sand and rubble encroaching on the roads. The project seems to be nearing an end, and hopefully the result will be a reliable and safe water supply with far fewer pipe bursts and wastage of water.
What would you like to see change in your area, and how can you contribute to this?
We’d like to see more residents making voluntary monthly contributions to the RRRA, so that some of their projects, including the installation of more security cameras across the area, and beautification and upkeep of the open areas, can gain momentum. We can contribute to that by encouraging residents and neighbours to support and even get involved in the RRRA. For more information about the RRRA, visit their website at https://rrra.co.za/.
