New outdoor gym equipment officially opened in Conville
On the photo from left: Cllr Brendon Adams (Portfolio Councillor for Community Services: Social Development, Libraries and Sport who is also the Councillor for Ward 17), Cllr Jean Safers (Portfolio Councillor for Community Services: Parks, Refuse & Environment, Sivuyile Mtila (Senior Manager for Environmental Services), Nosidima Vumindaba (Manager for Parks and Recreation), and Raphael Goeieman (Ward Committee member for War 17).
The George Municipality officially opened new outdoor gym equipment that is situated in a play park at Suikerbekkie Street, in Ward 17, Conville which was donated by the National Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture (DSAC) as part of its roll-out for the 2022/23 and 2024/25 financial years. George is one of more than 70 recipients of outdoor gyms nationally.
The Portfolio Councillor (Cllr) for Community Services: Parks, Refuse & Environment Jean Safers, accompanied by the Portfolio Councillor for Community Services: Social Development, Libraries and Sport Brendon Adams who is also the Councillor for Ward 17 handed over the gym equipment on 11 August 2023. Also, present were George Municipality’s Senior Manager for Environmental Services Sivuyile Mtila and Manager for Parks and Recreation Nosidima Vumindaba.
Cllr Safers thanked the representatives of DSAC for their generous donation. “This donation will make a significant difference to all residents living in this ward. By working together, we are bringing tangible benefits and changes to adults and children alike with initiatives such as these. Our children and youth need such options that aid in boosting physical activity,” Councillor Safers said. “Intergovernmental initiatives such as these are what is needed to help obliterate social ills amongst the youth and hopes to see many collaborative efforts in the future.”
The Councillors and officials that attended the handover treated the approximately 40 children that were cheerfully playing in the park with a demonstration on how to use the gym equipment, and Ward Councillor Adams also gave each of the children a pack of chips. Theo Arries one of the citizens who lives with a disability came to witness the official opening of the new gym equipment and said he’s excited that he has a place that he can comfortably use for exercising.
In a written handover document of the DSAC, the department indicated that the donation of the gym equipment is inspired by the National Development Plan (NDP) recognition of the importance of sport and recreation as tools to promote wellness and social cohesion. The Strategic objectives of DSAC aim to create an enabling environment for communities across the country by availing adequate facilities for basic exercise and sporting activities.
Please watch the demonstration of the use of the outdoor Gym equipment: https://youtu.be/5T_l1XZz5sk
The George Municipality officially opened new outdoor gym equipment that is situated in a play park in Conville
Theo Arries one of the citizens who came to witness the official opening of the new gym equipment
From left: Sivuyile Mtila (Senior Manager for Environmental Services), Nosidima Vumindaba (Manager for Parks and Recreation), Cllr Brendon Adams (Portfolio Councillor for Community Services: Social Development, Libraries and Sport who is also the Councillor for Ward 17), and Cllr Jean Safers (Portfolio Councillor for Community Services: Parks, Refuse & Environment).