Park upgrades create jobs in Mogale City

Mogale City Local Municipality recently developed a City Aesthetics Plan to guide beautifying and greening the city.

Projects in the plan include upgrading, developing and managing parks.

Developing the parks aims to ensure that while the city is expanding, sufficient open space is provided for residents to relax and socialise in, for children to play in, and for recreational opportunities.

In the past the Kagiso, Munsieville, Magaliesburg and Azaadville communities’ recreational needs were neglected. These areas lacked good-quality recreation and leisure facilities, and have just a few basic parks.

A report by the municipality states that developing the parks is in line with the municipality’s vision and mission. It will respond to strategic objectives and key performance areas for Mogale City with the intend to address the backlog by 2020.

The parks development process is said to have taken into account community views and has led to temporary job creation, training and skills development for unemployed residents, as well as SMME/BEE empowerment.

Azaadville Community Park

While establishing the Azaadville Community Park over the past 13 months, 24 local people were employed and received training and opportunities for skills development. Formal, informal, and on-the-job training included lessons in first aid, basic fire extinguisher handling and safety induction.

The employees also gained experience in excavating, loading, short-distance hauling, spreading and grassing through working on the labour-intensive project.

Kagiso Regional Park

Mogale City prides itself on the 2012 South African Landscapers Institute (SALI) awards that Kagiso Regional Park received for Best Contractor and Best Design. The SALI Awards event is held annually.

The park features a large playground, picnic spots, walking paths and a multipurpose court. Children are spoilt for choice at the playground with its swings, merry-go-round, ladders and slides, among other.

Active projects

The Coronation Park upgrade project includes developing a new playground, petting zoo, picnic sites and gardens, and landscaping. The master plan also provides for the development of a restaurant on the dam wall and a chapel that can be used for weddings. The project is implemented in line with the CBD renewal strategy as the facility plays a key role in the area’s aesthetics and utility value. A portion of the park will be fenced by the end of 2014.

Magaliesburg Park Development

The municipality appointed a contractor for this project in April and construction is at stage 1. The project involves constructing parking and ablution facilities, a multi-purpose court, a playground, pathways and landscaping. This project will create approximately 18 temporary jobs.

Munsieville and Muldersdrift Parks projects

Contractors have been appointed for both projects and construction is currently in stage 1, with a site cleared and a new fence installed for Munsieville Park. The project includes constructing amphitheatres, multi-purpose courts, ablution facilities, playgrounds, pathways and landscaping. The Munsieville and Muldersdrift parks projects will create around 25 and 16 temporary jobs respectively.

Skills and training

Skills development is a major requirement for the park upgrade and development projects. Beneficiaries are trained on and off site and receive Seta-recognised qualifications. Training programmes involve providing information on occupational health and safety, installing paving and painting. Beneficiaries are selected from local communities with the assistance of community liaison officers and ward councillors.