#MyTown: Dunvegan identified as a hero suburb

Nestled between Bedfordview and central Edenvale lies the sleepy suburb of Dunvegan.

Established after World War Two, the suburb was initially home to soldiers and veterans who returned from the war.

The suburb was recently identified by Moneyweb as one of 14 “hero suburbs” throughout Gauteng, The Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

Ward 19 Clr and Dunvegan resident Bill Rundle explained that once Dunvegan was established, there was very little development surrounding the suburb.

Many of the houses built in the area are close to 60 years old.

Before Edenvale High was established and opened its doors an open veld neighboured the suburb.

Dunvegan borders onto the former home of the SA Open golfing tournament, Glendower Golf Course and is located in a road enclosure which has several access points.

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Rundle said the suburb was one of the first in Edenvale to have a road enclosure.

In the suburb, community members can find two main parks, namely Peter Pan and Michael Place parks.

Rundle said the parks and open spaces are cared for by residents of the suburbs.

He said it is one of the few suburbs in the town to have a tennis court.

“One of the agreements between the residents and the municipality was that if the enclosure was approved, the residents would need to maintain their parks.”

“This is done primarily by groups of residents who take pride in the area which they live in.”

Rundle said besides general infrastructure-related problems, such as potholes and burst pipes attributed to ageing infrastructure, there aren’t any major issues in the suburb.

Rundle highlighted that at one stage, most residents of the suburb were elderly community members.

However, he explained that approximately 14 years ago, the suburb saw an influx of younger homeowners.

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“In Dunvegan, it is very rare to see a for sale sign in front of any of the houses. Unlike other parts of Edenvale, there are few townhouse complexes and clusters in Dunvegan.”

“Dunvegan still has the ambiance and feeling that it is a little village.”

Rundle believes one of the main reasons Dunvegan is such a successful suburb is because of the people who reside in it.

He said the area is home to many professionals and business owners.

“Residents of the area are very community-driven and it serves as a good example for other parts of Edenvale.”