WATCH: Eden Park clubs struggle as sports facility crumbles

An existing sports facility opposite Eden Park Secondary School is in need of maintenance, prompting questions from a local resident about the investment in a new multipurpose sports court while sporting infrastructure in the area continues to deteriorate.

The existing facility has five courts used for different sporting codes, including tennis, volleyball and netball. However, parts of its fencing have been damaged, with one section having fallen, while the courts need painting.

The facility also houses a clubhouse used by the Eden Park Tennis Club and boxing club.

The clubhouse is in poor condition, with a damaged roof and broken fittings inside, raising concerns about the future of sporting activities at the premises.

Eden Park senior resident William Jarvis questioned why a new multipurpose court had been built at Eden Park Secondary School when the existing facility across the road also needed attention.

Jarvis said the money spent on the new court could have been used to repair and restore the existing infrastructure, which already provides space for several sporting activities.

He also raised concerns about the condition of the boxing club, saying it was needed by the community, particularly young people involved in boxing.

Boxing club struggles without training space

The poor condition of the clubhouse has affected the boxing club’s ability to provide a suitable training environment for its members.

The club’s chairman, Sydney Kok, said membership had been growing as more young people joined, but the lack of a proper training space had become a challenge.

“The club has been growing and as more youth join, but now the problem is that we don’t have our training space,” Kok said.

The boxing club currently uses the Eden Park Tennis Club as its gym because its own premises are not in a suitable condition for training.

The situation raises concerns about the club’s ability to accommodate its growing membership and provide young people with a space to develop their boxing skills.

Tennis club seeks support to restore facility

The Eden Park Tennis Club is also seeking support to refurbish the existing sports facility and improve conditions for players and the wider community.

In a proposal, club chairman Ronald Carelse outlined several areas requiring attention, including two tennis courts that need resurfacing, damaged fencing, a deteriorating clubhouse and a driveway that requires improvement.

The clubhouse has broken windows and a damaged ceiling, while the club has also called for the construction of a practice wall to help players, particularly young people, develop their skills.

According to the proposal, the condition of the facility limits the club’s ability to attract new members, host training sessions and participate effectively in organised competitions, including those administered by the Gauteng East Tennis Association.

The club wants to restore the courts to a condition suitable for training, league matches, club championships and player development programmes.

Facility could benefit neighbouring schools

The tennis club believes restoring the facility could create opportunities for learners at nearby schools to participate in sporting activities.

The facility is situated next to a primary school and a secondary school, placing it in a position to support school sport and youth development.

In its proposal, the club suggested working with neighbouring schools to coordinate access to the courts, introduce learners to tennis and provide opportunities for coaching, competitions and talent development.

The club believes these partnerships could increase participation in tennis, attract new members and make better use of the existing infrastructure.

The proposal also identifies opportunities to attract sponsors and community partners to support the refurbishment and help improve the facility.

Calls for investment in existing infrastructure

The concerns raised by Jarvis and the two clubs highlight the importance of maintaining existing sporting infrastructure alongside investment in new facilities.

For the boxing club, restoring the clubhouse could provide members with a suitable training space.

For the tennis club, repairing the courts and upgrading the surrounding infrastructure could improve its ability to host activities and introduce more learners to the sport.

The tennis club has called for support from relevant stakeholders to restore the facility and ensure it can better serve its members, neighbouring schools and the wider Eden Park community.

City acknowledges damage but has no repair budget

City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed that the sports facility is owned by the city and managed by the Community Services Department’s Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture (SRAC) Division.

Dlamini said the facility is inspected regularly, while routine maintenance, including grass cutting and general cleaning, is carried out by the team based at Eden Park Stadium.

He confirmed that the city had received complaints about the facility and that damage identified during routine inspections was documented.

According to Dlamini, maintenance requests have been recorded for several repairs, including the fallen clubhouse ceiling, broken windowpanes, damaged roof and gutters, leaking toilets, interior painting, rusted palisade fencing and a fallen section of tennis court fencing. The tennis courts also require resurfacing.

However, the city has no funding currently allocated for the repairs, meaning implementation and completion dates cannot yet be confirmed.

Dlamini referred questions about the cost of the new multipurpose sports court at Eden Park Secondary School, and whether the condition of the existing facility was considered during its planning, to the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

UPDATE: City reveals vandalism and plans to lease Eden Park ECD centre