Eldorado Park finally lives up to its name, with a lush green space opened for play. It even has a big screen television where people can gather to watch sport or other programmes.

The water feature is a firm favourite

WATCHING your favourite sports game from a park bench may be strange for some, but for many residents in Eldorado Park extension 3, having an outdoor facility offering international sport, education, travel and entertainment on their doorstep, is a welcome gift. And it is offered free of charge.

On 5 March residents took ownership of the biggest and best equipped park ever to be developed in their area. Still to be named, the Kremetart Street Park in Eldorado Park offers a host of lovely surprises, with two miniature soccer fields, a big screen television and a bubbling water feature greeting visitors.

The member of the mayoral committee for environment, Prema Naidoo, and the managing director of City Parks, Luther Williamson, formally handed over the facility to the community, urging them to look after it. "Own it jealously," Naidoo stressed.

Joburg poured R1-million into developing the park, while Township TV, in partnership with City Parks and DSTV, funded the big screen television, which was handed over at the same time.

The day was a colourful affair as children from EW Hobbs and Boekenhout primary schools competed in a soccer match to start proceedings. Parents, grandparents, teenagers, toddlers and even the wheelchair bound flocked to the park to join in the celebrations.

Later in the afternoon the big screen was turned on to broadcast the live game between Sundowns and Golden Arrows. People settled on the green grass to enjoy their favourite game, and in the evening the Kaizer Chiefs and Platinum Stars game was broadcast.

Over the past few years City Parks has intensified its efforts to green the more marginalised areas of Johannesburg. In December 2007, it opened a park in Diepsloot offering similar facilities. Orange Farm also received a flagship park in 2007.

A place for all
Eldorado Park is not known for its wealth of entertainment facilities and wonderful amenities; it lacks the social infrastructure so commonplace in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. Situated to the southwest of the Johannesburg central business district, it is predominantly a coloured township, and one of the poorest. The community barely holds together, with drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, unemployment and domestic violence more common than loose change.

A hotly contested football match opened proceedings

When City Parks earmarked the area for development, it was a neglected open space, serving as a shortcut through the suburb. Young people could be seen skulking about in the long grass, doing their daily drug shopping. For others, it was a handy spot to get rid of all those unwanted household items and building material that Pikitup refuses to remove.

But almost overnight it grew into a place of beauty. Besides the usual green grass and a multitude of indigenous trees, playground equipment and park benches, the City brought in additional touches to show its commitment to the wellbeing of Eldorado Park residents.

A favourite with the youngsters are the two small soccer pitches. Instead of planting grass on the pitches, City Parks opted for sand pits as these are cheaper and easier to maintain. The idea was borrowed from Brazil, where children are accustomed to playing on the beaches - resulting in strong-legged soccer players.

The water feature is beautiful in its simplicity and much-loved by the little children, who cannot resist the lure of the sparkling water. Big steel pipes, bent at 90 degree angles, spurt thick jets of water on to rocks, and as the days grow hotter, more and more children are drawn to it, splashing each other and dipping their heads with delight under the water deluge.

TV on tap
However, the big screen television is the biggest draw card. Sponsored by Township TV, City Parks and DSTV, there are daily broadcasts of educational, sport, music and travel programmes - at no cost to the community. The TV is on from 2pm to 6pm daily and it is protected by 24-hour security. No alcohol is allowed in the park.

Township TV's first big screen TV was erected in Diepsloot Park, again in a partnership with City Parks. Another such 24-hour park will be created in Diepkloof in March with similar facilities.

Graeme Joffe, a Township TV representative and Highveld Stereo sports presenter, was very excited about the project, especially after seeing the result it had had in Diepsloot. "Up to 5 000 people turned up to watch the Africa Cup at the [Diepsloot] park. It was fantastic."

Planning the Kremetart Street Park was closely guided by the needs of the community, and local residents were employed to develop it. It will be renamed as soon as the community has decided on a suitable name.

"Help us change the landscape of Eldorado Park to a future of quality parks with tree-lined streets," Williamson urged the audience in closing.

The three parks equipped with outdoor television screens, and others that will be developed later, will be used as public viewing facilities during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

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