City Of Cape Town Gives The Green Light To Hout Bay Eyethu Skatepark

CAPE TOWN, After four years of grueling work and tireless fund-raising, the Eyethu Skatepark, a Rotary Hout Bay Initiative supported by Eyethu Volunteers, will officially break-ground by the end of October this year.

The organisations’ co-founder and Head Design Architect, Lawden Holmes, received the green light from the CoCT Planning and Building Development Management Department just over a week ago and since then it has been all systems go to try get the skatepark built by the end of the year.

“The entire team has been working so hard over the last four years, and this year has been particularly tough. So when we heard the news that we could start the build we were thrilled”, says Keith Bull, Rotary Hout Bay Club president. “We’re also lucky to have Amandla Construction on board to provide all of the ground clearing, levelling, initial ground testing and core construction for free. This is invaluable and proves how committed the entire community is to this project. MICA Hardware Hout Bay have also generously promised to provide all building material at cost price, a massive value to a project of this size.”

The Eyethu Skatepark project started four years when our community leader, MJ Johnson posted on Facebook the need for a community skatepark in the area. Rotary Hout Bay were at the time looking for a new project to support, and heeded the community call for a safe space for skaters in the community to call home. The support from the local and greater community has been staggering.

Vicki Scheffel, Eyethu Skatepark project co-ordinator says, “the response we’ve had from the public has been staggering, from our Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign and a golf day, we raised over R270 000. All of the Rotary Clubs have come to the party and supported this project, with our own Hout Bay Rotary club donating R100 000 to the project. Every person who has assisted in donating money, time and consumables to this project is to thank. It’s really been a team effort, and that’s what a community project should be.”

In total, R820 000 has been raised, which includes R350 000 CSR Funding from Peninsula Beverage sourced by Rotary Club Newlands, the Rotary Clubs of Totnes Devon and Cape of Good Hope have pledged R75 000 and R14 000, respectively.

“We still need to raise around another R400 000 for budget contingency as well as to bootstrap the mentorship programme that will be run at the Skatepark. But we’re committed to get the build going by the end of October and hopefully we can have it completed by the end of the year, weather and budget dependent. So while we’re elated that we’ve been given the green light from the CoCT, our work is far from done”, concludes Peter Dutton, Rotary Club Hout Bay Project Lead for Eyethu Skatepark.

The Indigo Youth Movement, headed by Dallas Oberholzer, will be overseeing the construction of the skatepark concrete skating area after the base has been laid. Dallas who has made skateboarding, skateboarders and building skateparks his life. Once construction is complete, Indigo Youth Movement will manage the mentorship programme and instruction of the skaters at the park.

Anyone wanting to get involved in the project, either through resources, donations or time, can contact Peter Dutton on pdutton@cfe.co.za.

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