Lets face it – it is great to say on Vleisboek that you will attend the Take Back the City Picnic but, the proof of the pudding is always in the eating. I must say, though, that today was a stunning day for a picnic in the park and it was with hearts in our throats that the Longhair and I turned down How Avenue hoping to see many people and kids thronging the park.
The car park wasn’t overly full but cars kept on arriving as we unpacked and shouldered our picnic backpack to make our way to the clear space just below the Contour Path where most people seemed to be congregating.
It was stupendous to see parents and their kids gathering in the park, throwing down blankets, unpacking food, rugby balls, frisbees and dogs. Kids rushed down to walk over the river, play in the mud and generally commune with nature – not one had a cellphone or a tablet, not one was electronically engrossed – great frigging stuff guys, great frigging stuff.
Janine Pearton, the organiser of Take Back the City Picnics – Port Elizabeth, said that she remembered walking in the Settlers Park and Dodds farm area as a child and desperately wanted her small children to also share that legacy, so her idea was to help in any way she could to bring the citizens of Port Elizabeth back into Settlers Park.
The Longhair and I celebrated the picnic by walking through the Park, across the Baakens River at Essexvale, back up Target Kloof to Hallack Road and How Avenue where the shrieks of delight from small children having a ball drew us back into Settlers Park for one last final look at happy families enjoying a day in the sun.
Well Done Janine – we think your idea is a winner.
Did you know that we boast 5 unique biomes within the boundaries of our city:
- Thicket Biome – Settlers Park and Aloes Nature Reserve
- Forest Biome – Van Stadens Nature Reserve
- Fynbos Biome – Cape Receife Nature Reserve
- Grasslands Biome – Van Der Kemps Kloof Nature Reserve
- Nama Karoo Biome – Swartkops Aloe Nature Reserve.
Alan Straton
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Settlers Park is a gem in the centre of the city. More people should use it and appreciate what it has to offer. A chance to get back to nature. Our own secret Kirstenbosch (ssshhh – don’t let the people from Cape Town know.)! We need to look after this asset – it is amazing how you let your kids into the open, mix with water and you have happy, contented children. That is how it should be – no computers, cell phones etc. Let them be children first.
Thanks for joining us Alan and promoting this venture to take back our city and endure everything it has it offer :o) Janine Pearton
Only a pleasure Janine – you deserve all the kudos.
Feel free to let me know when the next one is and we will give it a good bash to spread the word. My email is easy – just put alan in front of the mype.co.za.
You could also submit it here: http://mype.co.za/new/events/add-your-port-elizabeth-event/
It was pretty awesome.
It is great to see people using the park and Valley. The day before there was a trail run through it as well that was a great success with about 280 people taking part. We are priviledged to have this area in the middle of our city.