Mayor unveils R16 million inner city’s ‘green oasis’ 

 

The City of Joburg launched a brand new park in the heart of the Johannesburg inner city on Friday, on the eve of the sixth annual World Parks Day on September 19, an international day aimed at promoting and celebrating parks and green spaces all over the globe.

 

Described as “the ultimate outdoor experience” and the latest jewel of the inner city, the R16-million Inner City Metro Park was officially opened by Johannesburg Executive Mayor Mpho Parks Tau, who was accompanied by Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development Councillor Chris Vondo.

 

The colourful and joyful celebration delighted several hundreds of residents who attended the event, which was marked by cultural dancing, miming, stilt walking and live musical performances. 

“This newest green lung is an ideal space for relaxation and recreation – right in the hub of the inner city. [It is] an important open space that also provides the community with a safe environment to improve and work on a healthy lifestyle,” said Mayor Tau. 

The park also boasts a free-to-use outdoor green gym, the 10th to be installed by Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo in Johannesburg.

 

“You no longer have to be a member of a private gym facility to have access to new-age gym equipment and facilities. Parks with green gyms are staffed by dedicated instructors who are there to advise, train and assist users and to encourage them to adopt a healthy living and lifestyle choices to reduce the risk of lifestyle or communicable diseases and conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity,” Mayor Tau said.

 

Located near the Nelson Mandela Bridge and flanked by the Bree Street Taxi Rank, the park is a “green oasis” boasting an award-winning landscaping design with water features, next generation play equipment, ablution facilities, five-a-side sports grounds, an amphitheatre area and the first mobile Wi-Fi library.

 

Developed in partnership with the Johannesburg Development Agency, the park recently won the prestigious Gold Excellence Award at the SA Landscape Institute Awards in Durban. It is set to become the new meeting point for thousands of inner city residents. 

 

Councillor Vondo said during the launch: “Open spaces such as the Inner City Metro Park positively contribute to their surrounding communities by serving as hubs of cohesion and inclusion and making areas safer in that they attract an increase in visitors, while underdeveloped spaces tend to attract criminal elements.”

The development of the park is part of a plan to bridge the green divide by expanding Johannesburg’s urban forest. The park, a previously disused space, further compliments the Corridors of Freedom concept, which aims to improve the lives of all communities. 

 

The park is designed to meet the needs of inner city residents who live in high-rise buildings that don’t have access to green spaces for recreation and relaxation. The library will also provide learners with the opportunity to research for school projects and environmental programmes linked to the school curriculum. 

Both Mayor Tau and Councillor Vondo appealed to the community to take ownership of the “masterpiece facility” as it was essentially theirs to enjoy and benefit from.

In recognition of the commitment to the green environment and as a token of appreciation from City Parks to key media partners, Mayor Tau presented Kaya FM, Landscape SA, the Caxton Group and Jozi FM with green ambassador certificates.