Scout installs jungle gym at Ebury Park
BRYANSTON EAST – The Eagle project showcases hard work, community service and leadership.
Scout Hiram Topham (18) has assisted the community of Bryanston East by installing a beautiful new jungle gym in Ebury Park at the bottom of Cadogan Road.
Topham originates from the USA and has been in South Africa for a year and a half, attending the American International School in Riversands, where he is completing Grade 12.
He needed to complete an Eagle Scout Project for his American Scout Group, Troop 1565, which is the equivalent of the Springbok project in South Africa – the highest-ranking of being a Scout.
The Eagle project showcases hard work, community service and leadership.
Topham approached the chair of the Bryanston East Community Forum (BECF), Ian Tumiel to find out about work he could do in the community. Tumiel suggested the idea because there was no jungle gym in the park. The BECF and community members assisted to partially fund the project. They will maintain the equipment in the future.
“I think that jungle gyms are great for all areas and ages. They are a good way for kids to get out the house. I wanted to create something that would be easily accessible for this community,” said Topham.
A jungle gym company assisted him with the design and he began building the two towers, then the decking and put on the accessories as the final touch.
He was thankful for the assistance of members of the 1st Bryanston Scouts as well as the BECF and volunteers of Villa Elite and Forest Mews estates, which border on the park.
The project took him between 80 and 100 hours to complete from planning to construction.
Pack Scouter for the 1st Bryanston Scouts, Silvia Ludwig said she was impressed by Topham’s determination to complete his project in a new country without the assistance of Scouts that he had grown up with.
“It’s an inspiration to others, especially with the unique challenges we have in South Africa. Scouting is a wonderful programme for youth that makes them aware of others and equips them with skills for the future,” said Ludwig.
Tumiel commented on the project saying that it would be a wonderful addition to get locals out into green spaces.
“We already noticed an increase of parents with children coming to the park since Hiram completed the gym,” said Tumiel.
