Cape Town's Smart Parks Project wins award

Cape Town's Smart Parks Project - state-of-the-art constructed and designed public parks built by the city's Parks Department in disadvantaged areas - has won an award.

A merit award of excellence was presented by the Institute of Landscape Architecture in South Africa (Ilasa) to the department for its innovative smart park concept.

The Smart Parks Project provides inclusive public spaces that appeal to all community members.

A key goal in their development was meaningful community engagement, with their design and vision collectively decided on by the City and community, said Belinda Walker, mayoral committee member for community services and special projects.

The park at NY 110 Gugulethu has two five-a-side artificial soccer turfs, a topclass basketball court, jungle gyms, cement tables and chairs, slides, merry-gorounds, modern exercise swings, cobbled pathways, children's playing areas and abundant lawns and trees.

Teenager Wendy Joka, from Gugulethu, and her friend Yonela Masina visit the park regularly.

"It's a nice place. It is very peaceful and quiet, and not noisy or overcrowded," said Joka.

Masina added: "We can have our own picnics here and play netball on the courts."

Pumsa Klaas, after whose father Alfred a street in the park has been named, said the park had previously been a bare space.

"(Now) I use the park's facilities to gym during the holidays. A lot of children and grown-ups use the park, especially for soccer tournaments," added Klaas.

James Lehlolelo became aware of the park more than a year ago.

"It's a beautiful park. We didn't expect it to be of this high quality, because all the other parks in the area are not of this high standard."

Walker congratulated Nicole Strong, a landscape architect in the department, who also won an Ilasa award for her excellent planning and design work of the smart park, as well as a colleague, Bradley Burger, for his contribution.

"They are setting a new standard for the development of parks in South Africa."

The City's first three smart parks are in Khayelitsha, Blikkiesdorp and Gugulethu. A further three will be developed in Atlantis, Nomzamo and Seawinds next year.

Source: Cape Times