There was much excitement at the opening of the Atlantis Smart Park in Grosvenor Avenue, Saxonsea on Wednesday 12 July.
Subcouncil 1 chairperson Cllr Cynthia Clayton describes the facility as a “goldmine”, as it has raised property values in the area. “You should not tolerate any violence or criminal activities,” she said. “You need to take ownership of this park.” She also mentioned that the park as it stands is only phase 1 and that “phase 2 is on its way.”
According to the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, and Social Services, Alderman JP Smith, opportunities for future development were looked at during the planning process, should funding become available. “But there is currently no commitment for phase 2. The City is under immense pressure to provide parks of similar quality in other areas,” Smith added.
The smart park was built at a cost of just over R12 million and has a multi-purpose lawn area with trees to provide shade for picnics and general relaxation. The play area features custom designed equipment for toddlers as well as an adventure play area for older children.
For lovers of sport and exercise, there is a synthetic pitch and multi-purpose court that can accommodate various sporting codes, an outdoor gym for calisthenics and pathways for a leisurely stroll or jog.
“Smart parks are essentially about bringing quality inclusive facilities to people’s doorsteps,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for communities to come together in ways they may not have been able to before.
“We have to think outside the box if we are to address our societal challenges adequately, and this is but one example,” said Smith.
A big concern for residents have been the installation of a fence around the park to restrict access to the park.
Smith says the City is “looking into the possibility of installing fencing to restrict vehicular access to the park,” and ideally the fencing will be installed this financial year, if approved.
He also reiterated that keeping public spaces and facilities safe is a shared effort and residents need to partner with the City by reporting criminal activity and faulty or damaged infrastructure.
Atlantis is the fifth suburb to join Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Delft and Nomzamo, Strand in benefiting from the park design that resulted in the City’s Recreation and Parks Department receiving an award for excellence from the Institute for Landscape Architecture two years ago. A sixth smart park is currently under construction in Mfuleni.
