Don’t park off, go visit a park
JOHANNESBURG – It’s International Park Week, so in this age of technology, City Buzz took up the challenge of finding the most amazing parks in Johannesburg.
It’s time to put down the cellphones and iPads and take a trip outside. Johannesburg may be a bustling city, but it also has a number of gorgeous green parks to frolic in.
Joubert Park is the largest park in the Johannesburg CBD and this is where you can find the Johannesburg Art Gallery. In the 60s, there was an open-air theatre, a bandstand, a large outdoor chessboard and even a Victorian conservatory known as the Hothouse. Now, the park has grown and adapted alongside the city and has become gated for security reasons. It still has the original, now matured, foliage and is also home to the Greenhouse Project which is dedicated to building, cultivating and recycling resources in order to benefit the people of Johannesburg.
Find it on Wolmarans Street.
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@pubspace @artthisway first park to be built in Johannesburg #JoubertPark pic.twitter.com/kPPfLNvHjy
— JoburgParksZoo (@JoburgParksZoo) October 20, 2014
Delta Park is one of the biggest parks in the city. It has three tree lined dams which are linked by popular walking trails that are often used by the public and nearby residents. It is also home to the slightly longer Braamfontein Spruit trail as well as the Delta Environmental Centre, where a number of wildlife-related courses are available to children and adults. There is a fantastic wild bird sanctuary nestled in amongst the trees. It is also host to a few small concerts that take place in the park on a regular basis. Find it in on the corner of Pitcairn Road and Penelope Avenue in Blairgowrie.
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Awesome walking route at #DeltaPark #myperfectview #jozibliss #welovewinter ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/CMUpOYHBxA
— Faith J Daniels 🌻 (@FaithJDanielsSA) July 12, 2015
One of the most popular green spots to visit is the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens. The gardens were established in 1964 as what was dubbed by locals as the Rose Garden. This was because it started off as one huge rose garden with over 10 000 roses. The newer gardens are organised in different themes and purposes, including a restaurant, herb garden, bird island and even a Shakespeare garden, which grows plants that are mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare. The gardens also share space with Emmarentia Dam and it’s the perfect place to pop down for a picnic or to walk your furbabies. Find it on Olifants Road, Emmarentia.
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Those in search of adventure should head to the Melville Koppies Nature Reserve. Not only does it have breathtaking panoramic views of Johannesburg North, but it has a little something for everyone. The space has been declared a national heritage site as it is home to a Stone Age camp with artefacts that date back as far as 50 000 years, as well as an Iron Age Furnace that was discovered in 1963. It’s packed with historical value and a number of small animals, including civets, tortoises and mongooses. Find it on Judith Road, Emmarentia.
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Filler: Have you ever been to one of these parks? Let us know on the City Buzz Facebook page
