Despite some cloudy weather, nothing could suppress the obvious excitement of guests and members of the community at the opening of the new Diazville Cottager Park multifunctional sports field on Thursday 14 July.
The project, a partnership between Saldanha Bay Municipality and the Western Cape Government’s Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning through its Regional Socio-Economic Projects (RSEP) programme, was presented to the Diazville community as part of ongoing, citizen-centred initiatives.
Councillor Wilhelm America, Mayco Member for Community and Operational Services, welcomed the guests. He reiterated the importance of sport as a building block in society.
In addition, he also made an appeal to the community to take ownership of the new facility and look after it so the local community can benefit from it for many years to come.
Shastelle Philander of RSEP expressed her appreciation to all the role-players involved in the development.
She said she hoped the community would enjoy the facility and echoed America’s request that residents look after a resource that has been presented to them.
Ward 4 councillor Gerald Cleophas told guests and residents present at the opening how important it was to take care of even the smallest community facilities, so much bigger projects can be brought to fruition in the area.
The Cottager Park facility boasts the first astroturf sports field built by the municipality.
It is envisaged that more of these amenities will be constructed in different parts of the municipal area.
Local children wasted no time in making use of the outdoor gym equipment, and spectators enthusiastically encouraged the informal, friendly neighbourhood soccer matches that were played among some of the local youngsters, who unofficially inaugurated the freshly built soccer field that was just beckoning some action.
