Championed by the Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, the initiative is part of the  Expanded Public Works Programme. The City’s Recreation and Parks Department invested more than R2,7 million to deploy Park Buddies to various parks across the city, in close proximity to where they are residing.
The programme was launched at Mandela Park in Khayelitsha and will run until 30 June 2020. The launch also included a tree-planting ceremony in the lead up to Arbor month in September.

‘The Park Buddies Programme will encourage communities to take ownership of parks in their areas. The appointed park buddies will also be the City’s ambassadors in their communities. The City invests heavily in outdoor recreational facilities. They play an important aesthetical role in the urban environment but also allow for community cohesion in creating opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. This has been proven an effective measure in creating positive and long-lasting relationships to see real changes in communities,’ said Councillor Badroodien.

 

The purpose of the programme is to increase awareness and appreciation of community parks. Key daily duties that will be assigned to the Park Buddies includes keeping the park tidy, ensuring that play equipment is correctly used and  reporting any broken or defective components on play equipment.

 

In addition to the above,  Park Buddies will exercise access control based on the relevant City By-Laws and Policies, collating statistics on usage and reporting any anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

‘I grew up playing in this park and am proud to be able to make a difference by working here. We need everyone to play their part and support us in keeping this park safe and clean so that children can enjoy the environment,’ said Martin Majalisa, the appointed Park Buddy for Mandela Park in Khayelitsha.

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‘The City strives to promote active communities and healthy lifestyles through parks and open spaces. I am certain that the park buddies will, with the help of their communities, promote co-responsibility that will increase security in the various communities and open up more opportunities for community parks to be utilised for their intended recreational purpose. I would like to thank the park buddies for their willingness to be this important interface between the City and communities. Let us all work together to protect and serve our communities – it will be the communities who will reap the benefits of this initiative,’ added Councillor Badroodien.

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