A collaborative project in the Southern Suburbs, led by Ward 59 councillor Mikhail Manuel, aims to transform the crime-ridden area behind the Newlands Swimming Pool into a safe and inviting public space.
The project, supported by Friends of the Liesbeek River (FoLR), Treekeepers, Groote Schuur CID, and City officials, includes the installation of a wooden deck and other beautification efforts.
The goal is to create a family-friendly environment along the Liesbeek River trail, enhancing safety and accessibility for the community.
It is all hands on deck for a collaboration of stakeholders in the Southern Suburbs to reinvent a safe, secure and inviting environment behind the Newlands Swimming Pool, known to be a “crime hot-spot”, along the Liesbeek River.
Spearheaded by Ward 59 councillor Mikhail Manuel, he announced this exciting project, marking it as “the beginning to a beautiful safe public space for runners and families”.
Working with the Friends of the Liesbeek River (FoLR), Treekeepers, Groote Schuur CID (GSCID) and City officials, Manuel said the mission is to clean the section where a wooden deck is being installed as a foundation for recreational use.
“The deck is a R100 000 investment, which we’ll be increasing in the coming years to make the area safer,” Manuel told People’s Post.
For Manuel, the purpose of the deck is to create a lookout point where people can stand and look along the path, visible all the way down. “It’s to be a point where people are invited to relax on benches, take photos which is also a great starting point for a run.
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“The Liesbeek River has a beautiful walking trail that starts at the Newlands Swimming Pool and continues all the way to Belmont Road in Rondebosch. It’s one continuous path all along the river and there are sections of it that’s been known as hot-spots for mugging, there are dark parts hidden away or covered behind buildings – one being behind the swimming pool.”
Manuel said criminal elements in the area particularly worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic and contributed to its notoriety.
Invest in space
“In late 2022, I decided we needed to invest in that space. I then had a site meeting with Friends of Liesbeek, GSCID, City officials, Newlands Rate Payers Association (NRA) and Treekeepers to discuss the section and what could be done.”
That was when Manuel decided to fund the building of a deck.
“We had a follow-up meeting mid-last-year, where Clare Burgess from Treekeepers drafted a landscaping design for that section.”
Another meeting was held on Friday 5 July to discuss that section with City officials that are busy building the deck.
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“We’re looking at Clare’s design to get feedback from officials to see how much of it is implementable easily. Our inspiration for this section for the river is the Upper-Liesbeek River Garden which the community helped to renovate into a family-friendly and safe environment.
“It’s got picnic spots decorated with wonderful indigenous plants, which is really something in the Southern Suburbs we marvel at, because of what the community’s been able to achieve through their collective efforts.”
Interest
Manuel added that a lot of interest is garnered from the community showing support to save this section in Newlands along the Liesbeek River.
Barbara Breedt, GSCID Manager, confirmed their vested interest in the project, saying the area fell in their boundary, frequented by walkers that are vulnerable to criminals.
“It is indeed a beautification effort to build up the area and revamp the garden. Now, our efforts are focussed to pick it up and keep the maintenance hands-on as to not allow the area to wither again due to lack of maintenance.”
Breedt said GSCID will assist with the fencing to secure the site in an environmentally-friendly way.
For Burgess, who is the chair of Treekeepers, they are encouraged by the proposal to upgrade this section of the Liesbeek River trail.
“The trees need arboricultual attention and light pruning to create a shady walkway, and the landscape sketch plan drawn up some years back will allow easier access to the river.
“We are grateful for Councillor Manuel’s intervention and commitment to improve this public open space and conserve the trees along it’s route,” expressed Burgess.
On Saturday 6 July, this collaboration met at the San Souci Road, Newlands entrance for day one of the clean up, alongside FoLR, TreeKeepers and GSCID, along with members of the community to lend a hand with gardening, to save this spot along the Liesbeek.
