The core volunteer group of Root44 parkrun calls for all parkrunners and the larger community to make their voice heard by commenting on the re-opening the parkrun during the Stellenbosch Municipality’s public participation process.
“Our national office has been trying to re-open our parkrun for quite a few months now. Audacia farm is keen to get us running again and Root44 market is happy to help where they can,” the group said in a statement last week.
According to the volunteers, the national office has been in contact with the authorities on numerous occasions “and are very keen to see us running again. It looks like we will be able to use 90%, if not all the existing route, and most of our kit has been preserved by our quartermaster”.
But the municipality requires a full public participation process and land use approval, the group added.
According to municipal spokesperson Stuart Grobbelaar, a consent use application must be submitted by the organisers to permit an activity such as a parkrun.
“A temporary departure for a parkrun on these properties (Farm No. 537, Remainder Farm No. 1537, Farm No. 1537/1 & Farm No. 1537/2) was approved on 20 July 2015, and as a temporary land use, lapsed on 20 July 2020,” he explained.
“A consent use application to permit the activity on Farm No. 537 and Remainder Farm No. 1537 has already been submitted to the municipality, and will be advertised for public input in accordance with the legislative requirements.”
The subject properties are zoned for Agriculture and Rural, Grobbelaar related, but the zoning makes provision that an application can be submitted for a consent use to permit such an activity.
The volunteer group said its existing permission has been rescinded and the current process to re-open a parkrun is occasionally required. “We estimate it will take at least another three months,” the statement read.
“When you see the request for comment advertised, please ask all your friends, family and any willing person to make sure the municipality gets your comment. We will create a link on our Facebook page at that time. If you have influence in the corridors of power, let them know. Let’s run this!”
