An amount of R750 000 was set aside for the building of a skatepark in the Stellenbosch CBD (Central Business District) in the 2017/2018 Stellenbosch municipal budget. MatieMedia decided to investigate what happened to this plan and its allotted budget.
The 2017/18 municipal budget with the CBD skatepark budget marked in red. SOURCE: Ward Plan 2017/2018: Ward 7
Garth Abrahams, Stellenbosch municipal manager of sports and hall, confirmed that the project has been postponed to the financial year of 2018/19.
“When you look at the budget of last year it specifically says ‘Skateboard Park’ followed by ‘CBD’. That was a mistake because, according to the planning department, there is no available land in the CBD for a skatepark. But because the official line item read ‘CBD’ we couldn’t change it,” he said.
“During the adjustment budget we told council that we can’t do anything in the CBD so we had to start a new project in the next financial year with a line item with a broader description. The new budget will simply read ‘skateboard park’. So we can basically put it anywhere except the CBD.”
Abrahams added that the new plan is to build the skate park in Cloetesville and that the project has a budget of R500 000. The municipality aims to finish the project by June or July 2019.
Nicky Ceasar, executive support officer at Stellenbosch Municipality, confirmed this information.
According to Matthew Kamstra (19), Stellenbosch Design Academy student, there is a dire need for a skatepark in Stellenbosch.
“There’s already a tight community of about 30 people who skate in central Stellenbosch. We find each other on an open tennis court most afternoons. There’s a positive vibe, everyone encourages one another and it is a very inclusive environment,” he said.
“At the moment we are mounting planks on bricks and making do with whatever debris we can find so it would be pretty great to have a real park! It’s also rather frustrating when our material gets confiscated by the authorities.”
Gerrit Ter Haar (26), a PhD mechanical engineering student, performs a “frontside 180” over a makeshift obstacle on the tennis courts. The courts are located in the upper part of Stellenbosch University’s campus. Ter Haar believes that Stellenbosch really needs a skatepark. PHOTO: Wilhelm Schumann
Gian von Dewitz (20), a BCom management sciences student, feels Stellenbosch definitely needs a skatepark.
“Considering that Stellenbosch is a student town, there is quite a large amount of people who skate or want to learn to skate. At the moment the existing skating community has no place to skate and if we do, we mostly get into trouble because we are not allowed to skate almost anywhere.”
At the moment the skateboarding hub of Stellenbosch has become a rundown tennis court located between the upper campus residences. According to these skaters, they are chased away from most of the other locations they try to skate at and, as of now, the tennis court seems to be the safest space.
Von Dewitz “ollies” over a makeshift obstacle on the tennis court, the only “safe” space the skateboarders have at the moment. PHOTO: Wilhelm Schumann
Zaid Africa (21), a civil engineering student, feels that a skatepark will benefit the community and municipality.
“The skatepark will be a great place for people to connect and make new friends. Without a park, people are forced to skate in the street. This is dangerous and is also against the law,” Africa said. “Skaters receive fines and have their boards taken by police for skating the street. The skate park will be a safe place for people to skate without fear of being prosecuted by police. The municipality will gain more support from the community if the park is built. The park can also be used to host other events or festivals.”
Robert Olivier (23), a student at the Stellenbosch Design Academy, says, “skateboarding will be a part of the next Olympic Games, it is long past the point of being a hobby for a small group of people, and it has become a major sport. Having a skatepark can lead to constructive development of the youths who do not identify with traditional sports in Stellenbosch.” PHOTO: Wilhelm Schumann
According to Samuel Danton (20), a second year international studies student, “Stellenbosch has a vibrant community of skateboarders, made up of many students and kids from the area.”
“Skateboarding is a hazardous sport that requires a safe place to train, congregate and enjoy. Stellenbosch does not offer many of these safe places for the countless people who are passionate about skateboarding and BMX. A dedicated skateboard park would not only allow us to improve at our sport, but will allow future generations to be introduced to an incredible community and sport. Skateparks usually act as important community centers that act as safe places for the youth to express themselves in a healthy manner.”
Dominic von Finckenstein (21), a law student, attempts to jump over a plastic crate some of the skaters had found lying around. Finckenstein also strongly believes that Stellenbosch needs a skatepark. PHOTO: Wilhelm Schumann