Once neglected and dangerous, the Donald Mackay Park is now safe, secure and beautified. In recent years, it fell into dreadful disrepair, but the park has now become a welcome green space and sports hub for people living in this high-density, poor inner-city area, neighbouring Hillbrow and Yeoville, with Ponte its signature high-rise. The park’s rejuvenation is also a testament to the combined power of community, civil society, business and local government.
Persy Mamba, local mural artist, is putting the finishing touches on his colourful artworks as Jozi My Jozi, an inner-city revitalisation project and its partners meet to celebrate the completion of phase two of fixing Donald Mackay. We gather in the beautiful new playground area, alongside the basketball and soccer fields, and from this angle, it looks like Ponte is wearing a skirt of mural art. Even though the trees are bare, it’s easy to imagine the park in summer. What a joy to see Ponte and Berea’s high-rises softened by foliage.
Donald Mackay is one of Jozi’s oldest parks, established in 1896 with massive stone walls and multiple levels. Now it has been reimagined as an appropriate green space in the inner city. The park has been fenced and security guards employed. There are solar lights. The playground and sports fields has been revamped, the basketball fields are a huge hub for the area’s youth, and at the heart of it all is an urban food garden. The garden was completed in the first phase in February and has been flourishing all year, providing people with fresh produce and communal activity.
The process of fixing Donald Mackay has been both as simple and as difficult as getting all the right people around the table. In this case, Jozi My Jozi, acted as a super connector. As CEO Bea Swanepoel says, “when we all work together, magic happens”. Fortress Real Estate Investments Limited (Fortress REIT) is a key partner, as well as Food & Trees for Africa FTA), City Parks, Giants of Africa, Branch Environmental Design and of course the local community. We all take a walk up to the food garden and admire the city views. As we leave the playground, local kids hop onto the jungle gyms and see-saws. Percy Mamba mural artist has completed another soccer ball mural.
“Donald Mackay has become a joy for the people here”, says Bafakile Mkhize, community co-ordinator of eKhaya Neighbourhood, an urban improvement project that aims to make a neighbourhood in Hillbrow and Berea. “To be able to enjoy outdoor activity is so beneficial for kids live in these high rises, and a safe park is where people can get together and relax, talk, build community”.
“A park, like a garden, can bring together the best a community has to offer in terms of healing, building and creating.” says Robyn Hills, Head of Programmes at FTA, who implemented the building of the garden and training of gardeners. “Green spaces enhance community solutions and provide a safe space for those conversations to flourish.” The food garden was equipped with irrigation, fencing, tools, and a shed, and has been producing fresh lettuce and spinach all year long.
The double basketball courts, which were also completed in February this year, were sponsored by Giants of Africa, a non-profit organization, whose bold goal is to complete a hundred basketball courts across Africa, promoting physical activity and fostering community engagement. “It has been phenomenal to see the gradual transformation of the park through this project”, says Jodie Elinor-Dreyer from Fortress REIT, “people from work teams and the community have gone above and beyond to rejuvenate a landmark”. The park’s transformation has already sparked renewed interest and pride in the community – it’s an inspiring example of urban renewal.
