Park to open for disabled kids

Rose Park in Lenasia is changing – a public private partnership has raised funds to build a recreational space designed with disabled children in mind.
MAJOR renovations are under way at Rose Park in Lenasia, south of the CBD, to convert it into the first public park for physically challenged children in Joburg.

SwingsThese swings will be changed to become wheelchair friendlyOscar Oliphant, City Parks’ senior manager for stakeholder relations, says that when the public facility is complete, it will be the first of its kind in the city. "We really want to use this opportunity to show how between civil society and government things can be done.”

The idea for such a park originated when a local resident, Fazel Suleman, a member of the Differability Information and Support Association (Disa), approached Channel Islam International (Cii Broadcasting) saying that a facility of this kind was not available.

Disa is a support group for families of children with disabilities.

This sparked a partnership between City Parks and the satellite radio broadcaster to raise funds for the development, which will include a new section with wheelchair friendly swings, see-saws, roundabouts and other play equipment.

“This is the first time we have actually done a project such as this through community effort,” says Oliphant.

Funds
A total of R700 000 was raised for the upgrade. Designs and plans have been drawn up over the last three months, and the development, which started on 31 October, will officially be opened on 3 December.

“It’s been a long road but we are confident that with the partnership between the City of Johannesburg and Cii Broadcasting, this park will become a reality,” says Suleman.

People from across the country helped raise funds between August and October. Joburg residents donated R220 000.

According to Shamsheer Khan, the station manager at Cii, the project is aimed at uniting all members of the community.
“This is going to be a huge improvement in the lives of Lenasia residents. Cii is proud to be a part of bringing the community together. And it doesn’t stop here. This is just the first step. We would like to see similar projects going up all around South Africa.

Rose Park was upgraded in 2007Rose Park underwent a massive upgrade in 2007“Children with physical challenges are often neglected and we need to do more as society to incorporate them into broader activities.”

Oliphant says the project is a classic example of how a public partnership can work with the community. “It is extremely encouraging to see how people have poured their hearts and money into the project … None of us in our wildest dreams thought that this would spark such awareness in the country.”

Rose Park
Rose Park is five hectares in size. It underwent a massive facelift in 2007 and now has rose-lined gardens, a fountain, a township television screen, two mini soccer pitches and play areas with equipment for children, such as a jungle gym, swings and a roundabout.

It can accommodate about 1 000 people for concerts, screenings, filming movies, all sizes of corporate events, weddings, and fun fairs. City Parks is the custodians of Joburg’s parks, cemeteries, open spaces and conservation areas. It oversees 2 343 parks.

Parks are essential green lungs for the city and valuable areas where residents can relax and revitalise. Joburg is filled with leafy trees and has dozens of spacious green lungs. Each region has its own flagship park, among the many smaller ones.

For more information on how you can participate in this initiative, email projects@ciibroadcasting.com or call Azhar Vadi on 011 494 7000.