Regular visitors to Lonehill Park can look forward to improvements aimed at making the popular parkrun route safer and more sustainable, with tree maintenance already under way and plans in place to address soil erosion along the course.

Ward 94 councillor David Foley visited the park on July 17 to inspect the route and outline the planned upgrades, which he said will enhance the experience for the growing number of walkers and runners who use the facility.

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Foley explained that the first phase of the work involves trimming overgrown trees whose branches have begun to encroach on the pathway.

“They’re currently cutting all the trees to make sure the path is quite open because some of the branches were quite close to people’s heads.”

He thanked Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo teams who were also on site for responding to the request.

“I’ve asked the City Parks to address that, and thanks very much to the regional manager, Joseph Ndou, for ensuring the work is being carried out.”

During a walkabout of the park, Foley said another issue became evident: ongoing soil erosion caused by heavy foot traffic, particularly along sections frequently used by runners during the weekly Lonehill Parkrun.

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“While we did our walkabout here, we also realised there’s a lot of soil erosion, and with the runners going up and down, it’s going to continue unless we intervene.”

To combat the problem, he said plans are being developed for the construction of a dedicated pedestrian pathway.

“I was on site with contractors today to look at least a three-metre paved pedestrian walkway. That is really going to curb the erosion going forward.”

According to Foley, the wider pathway will not only help protect the park’s natural environment but also improve the experience for participants.

“It’s going to be great because people will be able to run alongside one another, and that’s all part of the fun.”

One of the most recognisable landmarks along the route, affectionately known as Happy Rock, will remain a highlight for participants tackling the 5km course.

“It’s called Happy Rock for a reason. The route is two laps to make up the five kilometres, and when you reach the second uphill, you tap Happy Rock to celebrate making it that far. After that, the rest is downhill.”

Foley said he hopes the planned improvements will encourage even more residents to make use of the park and take part in the weekly parkrun.

“I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more people attending the Lonehill Parkrun once these improvements are complete.”

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