THE multimillion rand recreational park in the heart of Schauderville will no longer be nameless, as residents have been encouraged to come up with a unique name.
This comes after the multi-purpose recreational park in Neave Street, which is a project the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) started in 2014, has been completed.
Ward 10 councillor, Andy Jordan, said that the aim was for the community to take ownership of the park and become more involved.
“This park was built for the community to enjoy and now they will be able to be more involved by coming up with a name.
“We are urging all community members, even if they don’t reside in Schauderville, to put names forward,” Jordan said.
The park consists of an outdoor amphitheatre, five-a-side soccer field, an outdoor gym, a picnic area, jungle gym and climbing wall for children.
The budget for the park was R8 million and formed part of the MBDA’s broader Schauderville/Korsten upgrade master plan for areas such as Highfield Road and Durban Road.
Jordan said fencing was recently installed, as the park had been vandalised by vagrants.
Jordan added, “Initially, there was no fencing, but we found a way to get extra (money in the) budget. There are still a few things that need attention, such as the lights and grass; however, we will attend to these before the park officially opens. The most important thing at the moment is for the community to step up and be more involved.”
The naming initiative had been sparked by the MBDA and whoever comes up with the winning name will be eligible for a prize.
Residents have been urged to nominate the name of a community hero, a sports hero, a youth leader or local artist.
One of the residents, Lottie Kroutz, said that they had been waiting for years for the park to open. Kroutz added, “I stay opposite the park and it’s such a joy to look over the entire park, knowing how much it means to our youth. We are grateful and hope it will be opened soon.”
Submission boxes and entry forms for the naming process will be available at the Ward 10 office in Gelvandale and at the Ward 11 office at Jarman Hall. The forms will also be available at 251A, Highfield Road in Schauderville. The closing date is Friday, October 11.
