Hatfield park gets face lift
Hatfield park on the corner Richard and Burnett streets was refurbished with new benches, swings and dustbins made by the students.
Students from the University of Pretoria have come together to revamp a neglected Hatfield park.
The park on the corner of Richard and Burnett streets was refurbished with new benches, swings and dustbins made by the students themselves.
Director of facilities management at UP Professor Susan Adendorff said she and colleagues visited the park earlier this year and realised that it was in a bad state.
“And we approached Dr Martina Jordaan, lecturer responsible for the JCP module, and we decided that this is the ideal vehicle for the JCP project,” she said.
“We agreed that this is a community project on our doorstep for the community by the university.”
The students are from the university’s department of facilities management and faculty of engineering, built environment and information technology.
“I am proud to be an alumna of EBIT and I think this is wonderful. I am glad that these students are interested to continue with other phases to make this park more beautiful,” said Adendorff.
A ceremony to mark the official opening was held at the park located outside the gates to UP Hillcrest sports campus.
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UP came to own the land where the park is situated after a land swap agreement with the Tshwane metro, which wanted to acquire a Hammanskraal property previously owned by the university.
Mechanical engineering student Altus Bisschoff, who was project manager, said it was a privilege to have led the project to restore the park and serve the community of Hatfield.
“We decided to make a multi-generational, multi-functional park to cater for pensioners, school kids and exercisers,” he said.
“This is phase one. There is a master plan for the future where we envision this park to be transformed into a fully functional community park with lots of playground equipment and outdoor gym equipment.”
Ward 82 councillor Siobhan Muller said she was excited about the project and that it was an example of how the Tshwane metro had envisioned the effect of its own “adopt-a spot-campaign”.
The campaign encourages the rehabilitation of unused communal areas.
She congratulated UP for having taken the initiative to create a recreational space where members of the community can come enjoy themselves and children play.
“The city will also be planting some trees there,” she said.
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