Outdoor gym equipment is being installed and other improvements are being made at several municipal parks across councillor Mark Kleinschmidt’s Ward 60 constituency.
Improvements to each of the parks, including pathways, rubber surfaces under play equipment, new equipment and repairs to existing equipment, are costing between R200 000 and R600 000, according to Mr Kleinschmidt.
Ward 60 covers parts of Athlone and Mowbray, Lansdowne, Rondebosch East, and Sybrand Park.
Work has already been done in Lawson, Joanne, Quick, Sprig, and Rompe Road parks and improvements at Highgrove Road Park, including new play and gym equipment, were unveiled on Sunday March 5.
Mr Kleinschmidt said he hoped to establish a walking trail in the Highgrove Road Park for residents who wanted to exercise.
Residents had become a lot more health conscious after the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.
“They are happy for a gym in the park. Now they can go to the park, exercise, and enjoy themselves,” he said.
Fatima Daniels, of Lansdowne, said she was generally impressed with improvements at Lawson Road Park.
“The gym equipment is well utilised. I think the park needs more equipment for the kids though because there is only one set of swings. I enjoy taking my granddaughter there to play, and my dog as well. Lawson Road park is really one of the most used parks in the area. It can also do with more benches for the parents to sit on and more lush grass as it used to be but at least the grass is clean. The park is busy all day. It is one of the safest parks which has no loitering.”
Another Lansdowne resident, Ruwayda Ahmed, complained that there were no toilets in the parks because of safety concerns.
“So if the kids need the loo, then they need to go home, and that spoils the whole day for the others,” she said.