Urban

Chicago (3 of 3) - ARCHITECTURE

The blue sky reflects off glass skyscrapers in the city of Chicago where beautiful buildings can be seen

One of the main reasons I wanted to visit the Windy City was to experience the architecture and see the work of many of the architects I learnt about in my studies, including: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Phillip Johnson, Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. I did both a walking architecture tour and the very popular architecture river cruise - both were very informative, although I feel like I only scratched the surface, there are many layers to uncover in this city. Buildings from several architectural styles were highlighted: classical, modern, post-modern, brutalist, art deco and the tour guides did a great job of going into detail and explaining certain highlights of several of the buildings.

It seems the city had a second chance to rebuild itself after the Great Fire of 1871 and it was interesting to look back on the history of the city and see how it has developed over time.

Robie House

Possibly one of the most famous architects to come out of Chicago is Frank Lloyd Wright known for fathering the Prairie Style. He designed many residential homes, his most iconic probably Falling Water, but according to the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust website “Robie House sparked a revolution in residential architecture that still reverberates today and is considered one of the most important buildings in architectural history. The house is a masterpiece of the Prairie style and a forerunner of modernism in architecture.”

Frederick C. Robie House by Frank Lloyd Wright, completed in 1910 and situated in Hyde Park, Chicago

The Rookery

One of the buildings I visited on the walking tour is known as ‘The Rookery’ and was designed by Daniel Burnham and John Root in 1888. The interior was remodelled in 1905 by Frank Lloyd Wright and the Insitute honouring his name is currently situated in the building.

One opinion is that the Ravens on the facade of the building resulted in it’s nickname ‘Rookery’

Interior of the Rookery with marble and gold leaf

190 South LaSalle Street

190 South La Salle Street is a beautiful example of a Post Modern building, designed by PHillip Johnson and John Burgee in 1987. While the outside of the building is nothing to write home about, the interior is opulent and the exaggerated scale is really something to behold.

Interior of office complex 190 South LaSalle with golden steps as interactive musical sculpture

The Marquette Building was also very noteworthy with it’s impressive Tiffany mosaic murals decorating the interior of the building as well as the dramatic Chicago Cultural Center. There is so much to discover, it was really memorable to explore.

A few more images of buildings below:

Further Reading:

https://www.flwright.org/tour/robie-house

https://cal.flwright.org/tour/rookery

https://www.architecture.org/learn/resources/buildings-of-chicago/building/190-south-lasalle/

https://gravelmag.com/famous-chicago-architects/

https://www.architectureadrenaline.com/famous-architects-in-chicago-20-of-the-greatest-designers-in-the-windy-city/

Chicago (2 of 3) - ART

Flamingo is a 16m tall steel Sculpture by Alexander Calder created in 1974. It was designed to offset the dark, minimalist, steel and glass building behind (designed by Ludwig by Mies van der Rohe) called the Dirksen Federal Building which was completed in 1964 and stands 45 stories tall.

I felt incredibly inspired by the Art I experienced in Chicago. I loved exploring the city and discovering public sculptures, both historic and modern (and taking sculpture selfies). Visiting the Art Institute of Chicago was really a highlight, although one day is not enough to see it all! It really is an incredible collection.

The Art Institute of Chicago was founded as both a museum and school for the fine arts in 1879, a critical era in the history of Chicago when resources were devoted to rebuilding the city after most of it had been destroyed by the Great Fire in 1871. The permanent collection contains nearly 300,000 works of art in fields ranging from Chinese bronzes to contemporary design and from textiles to installation art. Together, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the museum of the Art Institute of Chicago are now internationally recognized as two of the leading fine-arts institutions in the United States.

The Art Institute’s Mission is, “We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.”

If you visit the Art Institute don’t miss the very bottom floor which consists of The Thorne Miniature Rooms. They were created by Narcissa Niblack Thorne in the 1930s and 1940s, and they depict various historical interiors from Europe and America. The rooms are built on a scale of 1:12, and they are incredibly detailed, with miniature furniture, carpets, and even tiny books.

The Tiffany Window - Hartwell Memorial Window, 1917. Design attributed to Agnes F. Northrop for Tiffany Studios

Before visiting Chicago I had not heard of Tiffany Studios or seen his mosiac works. Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist who revolutionized the art of stained glass windows in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although Tiffany’s name is associated with New York City, he had a strong association with Chicago. His association with the city began with the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, where his Byzantine-inspired chapel and ecclesiastical wares were an international sensation, winning him 54 medals. This led to many commissions in Chicago, which compelled him to open a satellite studio in the city.

Tiffany’s work can be seen at many places in Chicago, including stained glass windows at the Second Presbyterian Church, glass mosaic panels at the Marquette Building lobby, and the largest Tiffany dome at the Chicago Cultural Center. The Tiffany dome at Macy’s on State Street is the world’s largest example of an unbroken Tiffany favrile iridescent glass mosaic, covering over 500 square metres and containing 1.6 million pieces of glass. The process of creating this dome took one and a half years to complete with over 50 artisans working under the direct supervision of Mr Tiffany.

I don’t think the photos really do these mosaic dome artworks justice, it is hard to see the colour and detail in the photo.

Tiffany mosaic artwork depicting the history of Chicago in the Marquette Building

Chicago Cultural Centre

There are tons of things to see and experience in any large city. I love seeking out the layers of history which are normally intertwined with art and architecture. I was really surprised and inspired by the depth and beauty of the love of art found in Chicago.

~ G.S

Chicago (1 of 3) - ATMOSPHERE

In July this year I had an amazing opportunity to visit the United States of America for the first time. I travelled solo for the first part (Chicago) and then met up with a friend for the second part (Colorado). It was an incredible experience and I enjoyed every moment!

I realised that I have to write a three-part series on my visit as there is so much to say (and so many photos) - otherwise it will end up being a ten page blog!

Part 1 - Atmosphere

Part 2 - Architecture

Part 3 - Art

Lakeshore Trail stretches for miles along Lake Michigan and is used by pedestrians, cyclists and runners

Why Chicago?

I chose Chicago over New York City as it looked to be a destination for people interested in Architecture and the views over Lake Michigan always look so stunning. I had also listened to a landscape architecture lecture on the Chicago Riverwalk and how through successful landscape architecture and urban design intervention they had positively contributed to the city and created the connection between people and the water. (Something that is not very successful in South Africa)

The Chicago Riverwalk is a 1.5-mile-long promenade that revitalizes an underutilized industrial area into an active public space featuring restaurants, cultural activities, and amenities while reconnecting the Chicago River to the urban fabric of the city. The plaza, consisting of a terraced lawn, ramps, and a memorial, was designed in 2009 by Ross Barney architects. You can read more about the project here.

Chicago Riverwalk - a precedent study every landscape architect should see

Millenium Park

I also wanted to see the Bean :) And take a selfie with it (because some people call me Bean and so I feel a connection to it, call me crazy, or call me Bean). Apparently people get upset that it gets called The Bean and would prefer people to call it by its official name - Cloud Gate. Millenium Park is also a wonderful place for a landscape architect to visit. I loved Lurie Garden and the public and green spaces in the city are so well designed and maintained.

Crown Fountain - an interactive water feature in Millenium Park

Summer in Chicago

Chicago is known to have brutal winters so when summer comes Chicagoans make the most of the fine weather and spend as much time outdoors and on the Lake as they can. I visited in July when summer was in full swing so it really felt like there was a constant party vibe and I saw tons of gatherings and social events. It really appeared to me that the city took initiative in organising fun events and opportunities for the city to come alive. One such event was the market along State Street called Sundays on State. I also saw a rave concert at North Avenue Beach. The whole atmosphere of the city was fun and festive!

Cycling

I used the Divvy communal bike sharing system to get around and enjoyed the freedom of exploring this city at my own pace and saw and did whatever I felt like. The perks of solo travel! Cycling along the Lakefront Trail was really a highlight - stunning views of the Lake and the City.

There is so much to see in Chicago, I felt like I only scratched the surface after my few days there. I would highly recommend travelling there, especially if you love inspiring gardens, art and architecture!

See these Onion/ Chive like plants in the front of this picture - this is what is assumed to be where the name of the city is derived from. The name “Chicago” is derived from a Native American word. The generally accepted theory is that the name was derived from a Miami-Illinois word “shikaakwa” or the “smelly onion.” The Miami-Illinois Indians named natural landmarks after the plants found nearby. The area around the mouth of the Chicago River was known as “Shikaakwa” by the local population because smelly onions grew around the watershed. French explorers “Frenchified” the word and turned it into “Shecaugo” for their reference

Sculpture on the Riverwalk Promenade of ‘the Chive’ where the name Chicago originates

Until Part 2,

~G.S

History of Greenside - Interview with Mike Little

I (GS) met Mike (ML) when we moved to Greenside a few years ago and was fascinated to hear that he has lived in Greenside for most of his life and seen how the suburb has evolved over time. I asked him if I could Interview him to find out some of his insights into the changes that he has seen and we had this discussion on 26 August 2021. You will see that I’ve kept the dialogue in its original format so that you can almost feel as if you were listening in on the conversation. Some of the conversation has been edited to make for easier reading.

Mike outside his Muirfield home (1944) historic photo 1

GS: Okay, so thanks Mike. Thanks for being willing to be interviewed.

ML: Yes.

GS: So I think I told you that often memory and history can sometimes be inside somebody’s memory or brain and not always written down.

ML: Yes.

GS: So this is one tool of trying to research… kind of finding out a bit more about the history and heritage of the suburb, so that’s why I wanted to ask you-

ML: That’s just Greenside?

GS: Just Greenside, ja, ja.

ML: Okay.

Family History

GS: And so okay, so you can start by introducing yourself, with your full name and then when and where you were born.

ML: Okay, my full name is Michael McMillan Little. I was born in Pretoria.

GS: Okay              .

ML: And we moved to Johannesburg in 1941. And we stayed in 100 Greenway.

GS: Oh yes, really? Before you moved to Muirfield?

ML: For three years.

GS: Okay.

ML: Then they moved to Greenside in ’44. So we moved into this house, in Muirfield road in ’44.

GS: Okay. Why did they move from the Greenway house to the Muirfield house?

ML: The Greenway house was too small.

GS: Okay.

ML: If you go down… You know that security company is hiring that house?

GS: Yes. The one opposite the Woolworths?

ML: Yes that’s right. If you look at it you’ll see it’s quite a small house. The house wasn’t big enough so they decided to move to a bigger house.

Mike outside his Muirfield home - historic photo 2 - note the Plane Tree with tree guard surround in front of the house (see discussion below about tree guards)

Mike outside his home in 2021

GS: Okay, sho. Okay, so you moved here in 1941?

ML: Yes.

GS: And you still live here. So you’ve lived here for… Is that-

ML: Everything except 3 years of my life. I’ve lived here 80 years in Greenside. Yes. Well I’m 83 now.

GS: Ja, you’re 83, sho. Wow, okay. Okay, so tell me about your parents and their parents. So your parents and your grandparents. Where did they come from? Were they South African or?

ML: No, our family comes from Scotland.

GS: Okay.

ML: My grandfather’s Edward Little and he came out to the country-

GS: From Scotland, sho.

ML: Ja, to the Cape Colony.

GS: Oh, wow.

ML: Basically and he was in the, you know in the military wing.

GS: Sho.

ML: They were actually horsemen.

GS: Yes.

ML: And required people… The rifle group required a horseman, so they came out here and he joined them.

GS: Okay.

ML: But they were all very good shots with rifles.

GS: Ja.

ML: And they were very good horsemen.

GS: Sho. So that was your father’s father?

ML: Yes my father’s father. Edward McMillan Little. My father’s Eric McMillan Little.       

GS: Oh, yes.

ML: And he was in the mining business. A mine surveyor.

GS: Oh, okay.

ML: So he worked on a lot of mines.

GS: Okay and that’s why he came to Joburg because of the goldmines or?

ML: Ja, he came-

GS: From Pretoria or it was just-

ML: No they moved here because there were more minerals in… He’s in the mineral exploration.

GS: Oh, okay.

ML: Because all the big mining houses were in Johannesburg-

GS: Yes.

ML: -so they decided to move the office from Pretoria to Johannesburg, so he moved and he got an office in the new law courts. Well they were new in those days.

GS: Oh, yes. Where’s that? What suburb’s that?

ML: No the new law courts is in town.

GS: Oh.

ML: It’s that building. Its sort of got a sort of circular dome and it’s-

GS: Oh, okay.

ML: It’s very well known.

GS: Okay. So that was where his office was?

ML: Yes. And then he used to go out and do mineral exploration.

GS: Yes.

ML: So the job was really to develop mineral resources and to examine them to see if you could get the minerals out that you wanted to and to see if it was a prospect or not. They had to look at all that. And if it was a prospect they developed it to a certain extent and then they would give it to a private company and they would develop it. So Foskor was one of the big ones down in Phalaborwa.

GS: Okay.

ML: They examined all the phosphates there and then they sold it to Foskor.

GS: Okay, sho.

ML: Foskor built it up.

GS: And your mom, what did she get up to?

ML: My mother was born in Natal, so they met on a coalmine in Dundee.

GS: Okay.

ML: Or in that area, ja. Then they got married and then my father got this job with the mineral development, so they moved to Pretoria. But she went to Epworth in Pietermaritzburg. It’s a Methodist school Epworth.

GS: Oh I didn’t know it, ja.

ML: And, ja she also went to university, did an arts degree.

GS: Oh really, wow.

ML: And she was a teacher, yes.

GS: So did she teach while you were living here?

ML: Ja, she taught the piano that’s all.

GS: Oh okay.

ML: No, but she didn’t teach. Except she taught me. A teacher’s always a teacher.

GS: Ja. Oh so she didn’t work in the arts even though that’s what she studied?

ML: No, you know the arts… She did like English-

GS: Yes.

ML: -and history. You know subjects like that.

GS: Ja.

ML: So basically they teach you so that it’s part of arts, but it’s really to prepare you for a teaching career.

GS: Ja, ja.

ML: So you can go and teach English or history-

GS: Oh, okay, sho.

ML: Not mathematics or anything, but you know. Anything to do with the arts degrees.

GS: Okay. Have you got one brother and two sisters?

ML: I’ve got one brother that’s in New Zealand.

GS: Yes.

ML: And he also grew up in Muirfield road.

GS: Oh really, ja.

schooling

ML: Ja, when we moved from Pretoria to here there was no Greenside Primary School, so he went to the Parkview Preparatory School.

GS: Oh, okay, so that was already going?

ML: Ja, but then I went to the Greenside Primary School.

GS: So was the Greenside Primary School, did that only start later in the 1940’s.

ML: Ja, it started I think halfway through… You know my brother when he turned about 4 they built it.

GS: Oh, okay.

ML: So you know he was too young really-

GS: Yes.

ML: -to go to it, so he went to the preparatory school-

GS: In Parkview.

ML: And after that he went to Parktown High.

GS: Okay.

ML: Because he went to Parktown High, I was able to go to Parktown High.

GS: Oh, okay.

ML: Because if you’ve got a brother that goes to the school-

GS: You’re more likely to get in.

ML: Ja, so you know they just started Roosevelt Park School.

GS: Yes.

ML: But I didn’t go to Roosevelt Park. I went to the Parktown.

GS: Yes

ML: So this went on and one of the things that puzzled me about Greenside is when I went to Greenside Primary School they called it GES. It was called Greenside Extension School.

GS: Oh really?

ML: But now I think they dropped the extension away, because it’s just called Greenside Primary School now.

GS: Ja.

ML: But when I went to it, it was called GES, Greenside Extension School.

GS: Oh really? There is still some suburb called Greenside Extension. I’m not sure which one it is exactly.

ML: I can remember I think there were five or six extensions.

GS: Oh, six Greenside extensions?

ML: I think they built… Most probably Greenside proper went up to Mowbray Road. And then Greenside Extension I guess went from Mowbray Road up to Barry Hertzog.

GS: Oh I see, ja.

ML: Then this became a Greenside Extension.

GS: And then there’s Greenside East as well-

ML: Ja, that’s-

GS: -which is different.

ML: -not a Greenside Extension, no. It’s Greenside East.

GS: Oh it’s just a different name.

ML: Ja.

GS: Okay, and then, what did you do after school, Mike? Did you-

ML: No, I went to the University.

GS: Which one?

ML: Wits.

GS: Wits, okay.

ML: And I did electrical engineering.

GS: Okay.

ML: So then I graduated as an electrical engineer.

GS: Ja, and then was that the career that you did for-

ML: Yes.

GS: -for most of your working life?

ML: Yes.

GS: And who did you work for?

ML: No, I worked for various companies.

GS: Okay.

ML: Fuchs Electronics was the first one and then they were bought out by Barlows, so I moved to Barlows.

GS: Okay.

ML: Then Barlows subdivided into a technical group and a food group. So the technical group they called Roytec.

GS: Okay.

ML: And the food group was all Tiger Oats and-

GS: Oh, yes.

ML: -and that sort of Hullett's Sugar and things like that, so I moved then to Roytec. So I worked for them in Roytec.

area around Greenside High School

GS: So then are there any insights with regards to Greenside Primary and Greenside High School. Were they-

ML: No, Greenside High School wasn’t here.

GS: Did that only come much later?

ML: Yes, it only came much later.

GS: And you said once that that used to be a nursery, the site that it’s on or how did that-

ML: Yes. I drew a map. But all this was a open piece of ground where Greenside High is now.

GS: Oh ja, really? The whole of Petra Avenue?

ML: Ja and it was part of the Rand Nursery. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of the Rand Nursery?

GS: No.

ML: I believe now it’s called the Rand Nursery and it’s moved out near Parkhurst somewhere.

GS: Okay.

ML: But anyway the story was when we came here, the Rand Nurseries had run out of water. Apparently they did all their irrigation from a spring and when they started building tarred roads in this area the spring dried up so then they had to use municipal water. And I think at the end of the day the municipal water became too expensive. So what they did is they moved the nursery down to below the Haven road.

GS: Yes.

ML: And they ran the nursery from there. And then they found it still too expensive to run on municipal water so they closed the whole nursery down. But when we came here, I drew a map here. There was, that’s Greenfield road-

GS: Ja, and here’s Muirfield.

ML: This is Muirfield down here and this is all the houses. Okay. So behind us there was a dam.

GS: Oh really.

ML: But it was empty.

GS: Ja.

ML: But what they did is they had a reservoir here. There was like a spring here and then a municipal reservoir. And then they used to run water down a duct here. It runs…

GS: Can I keep this?

ML: Ja.

ML: They had a duct here that ran down and fed the remains of the Rand Nurseries.

GS: Ja.

ML: And then they used to irrigate all the plants from there.

GS: So was there a spring, a natural spring and then they would pump water from that spring to go and irrigate the plants.

ML: Well you see the spring didn’t produce enough water. The spring didn’t produce enough water so they had to supplement it with municipal water.

GS: Okay.

ML: But this dam was empty and these fields were all empty. We had plenty of sort of Dahlia bulbs that were left behind.

GS: Oh, really?

ML: Suddenly coming up.

GS: Was that because they moved the nursery, so they didn’t use this anymore?

ML: No, they didn’t use it.

GS: Oh.

ML: The nursery was-

GS: Further down.

ML: Further down, ja.

GS: And these?

ML: Those were glass houses.

GS: Oh okay.

ML: There were two glass houses and I don’t know there was some other building there.

GS: So this is now a road that goes like this and this is Petra, hey?

ML: Petra Road-

GS: Is now run… And Greenside High is here? Or did Greenside High get built on this field?

ML: No, this fence here is the fence where Greenside High starts.

GS: Oh yes, okay I see, sho.

ML: So I don’t know… What’s that road that comes up from the bottom there from Gleneagles Road, up past the school? I can’t remember the name of it.

GS: Geers.

ML: Ja, that’s right. Okay, so Geers… This became Geers Avenue up to here, then they built another row of houses here.

GS: Mm.

ML: So Petra Road…

GS: Ja, runs like this, ja.

ML: If you take this here, Petra Road came up like that.

GS: So they must’ve filled that dam in to build the houses on top there.

ML: Ja, they just bulldozed it away.

GS: Oh. Was it a concrete?          

ML: No, no it was a-

GS: Just a earthen.

ML: A mud, ja.

GS: Ja.

ML: But the funny thing is this is Coetzer street here and 1 Coetzer street sits on this old spring here.

GS: Oh really?

ML: I don’t think the people know that they were on an old spring.

GS: Okay, ja. Okay and then, so you mentioned you used to play here. So are there other childhood memories that you had of like the suburb and maybe kind of-

The haven

ML: Well this Haven I remember because there were a lot of children living in the Haven.

GS: Is this Haven here?

ML: No, it disappeared afterwards.

GS: Oh you said Haven was a-

ML: But the Haven Road name still stays there.

GS: Oh okay.

ML: If you go along the Haven Road, there’s a block of houses that actually formed the Haven.

GS: What was the Haven?

ML: It was for homeless children.

GS: Oh, okay. A government-

ML: Yes, it was run by the government.

GS: Run by the government.

ML: But they closed it down afterwards. But I used to play with the children. Actually we used to throw stones at the Haven children. Then one day I was walking to the shops and a lady stopped next to me and said, “Ja, you one of the boys that throws stones at my children.”

GS: So she recognized you.

ML: So she said, “Why don’t you come and visit the place.” And she put me in her car and she took me there and afterwards I sort of mixed with the Haven children.        

GS: And started going to play there and visit them?

ML: Yes.

GS: Oh wow.

ML: And afterwards I used to take them to school, because a lot of them used to pick the flowers on the way up and the people were complaining, so I used to take them-

GS: Drive them.

ML: -take them to school. No I used to walk them-

GS: Oh walk them.

ML: -from the Haven up to the school.

GS: Oh wow. So where was the Haven? Where was the orphanage?

ML: It’s a corner of Geers Avenue-

GS: And Haven.

ML: -and Haven Road, but it took up about three houses.

GS: Oh I see.

ML: So I don’t know they built about six houses or-

GS: Ja.

ML: On that Haven.

GS: Where that was.

ML: Maybe three houses on that Haven.

GS: Oh okay I see.

ML: But they only bought those later. They started building houses here in 1956.

GS: Oh okay.

History of Greenside

ML: And then these houses were all built round about ‘56

GS: But you said that this street, Muirfield these houses were already here?

ML: Yes these ones.

GS: When you moved in. Ja.

ML: But the ones behind that are on Petra road.

GS: They came in the ‘50s. Okay.

ML: Ja, because when I went to high school they started building the houses. Well apparently I knew somebody called Craig Bruce. His daughter’s married to Bruce Fordyce.

GS: Oh really?

ML: But he grew up in a double story house in Troon Road.

GS: Troon. Yes.

ML: And he knew a lot more about Greenside than I knew.

GS: Oh really.

ML: He got it from his father.

GS: Ja.

ML: So his father told him that Greenside actually developed along Greenway.

GS: Greenway Road.

ML: He said the big prestige was to have a double story house on Greenway. So if you go along Greenway have a look how many double story houses there are along Greenway.

GS: Oh really. And who were the people that moved there? Was it just kind of professionals that were looking to-

ML: Ja, I think so.

GS: -to live in suburbs and they kind of built nice houses?

ML: Yes.

GS: Okay.

ML: So he told me that after the Great Depression, about 1930 he said Greenside developed a lot and it developed a lot from about 1930 to 1940.

GS: Okay. Ja, sho, because there’s some beautiful houses.

ML: But you know If you want to know more about that there was somebody I knew at the University called John Carstens and Wendy Carstens.

ML: Okay, they run the Melville Koppies.

GS: Yes, yes.

ML: Now if you go on a Tuesday, they take people for walks along Melville Koppies.

GS: Yes. I’ve been on a Sunday.

ML: Ja a Sunday as well. You have to pay that’s the only thing, but they take you for walks but they know-

GS: All the history.

ML: -an enormous amount about the history.

GS: Yes.

ML: But apparently there were two farms. The one was owned by Frans Geldenhuys.

GS: Yes.

ML: And the other one by another Geldenhuys. I’ve forgotten his first name.

GS: Yes.

ML: So the one farm became, I think became-

GS: I’ve read a little bit about that history, it’s like the formation of Emmarentia.

(See History of Emmarentia Blog Post )

ML: Ja the one farm became the botanical gardens and the mortuary.

GS: Westpark Cemetery.

ML: Westpark Cemetery.

GS: Yes. Yes.

ML: So that was the one farm. The other farm became Greenside and apparently his wife’s name was Emmarentia, and that’s where Emmarentia got its name from.

GS: Yes. Yes.

Road Names

ML: But when we moved here Muirfield road stopped at Barry Hertzog Avenue but in those days it was called Rustenburg Road.

GS: Barry Hertzog used to be called Rustenburg?

ML: Ja it’s still part of-

GS: Oh okay.

ML: -it is called Rustenburg.

GS: Oh really?

ML: You know the part that goes past-

GS: Into Linden. Victory Park and Linden?

ML: Yes that-

GS: Yes.

ML: Because I think if you look up the Dis-Chem, they tell you they on-

GS: Oh is that Rustenburg Road?

ML: Ja.

GS: Oh okay.

ML: So…

GS: So was the dam already there?

ML: Ja, the dam-

GS: The dam was always there.

ML: -the dam was built apparently in about 1900s or something.

GS: Oh okay.

ML: And it was built by hand.

GS: Sho.

ML: And it was built to employ people because people-

GS: After the war.

ML: -didn’t have jobs. Ja. Ja that’s right.

GS: I remember that a little bit, ja.

Fruit Trees

ML: So it was built ja. And then there were just fruit trees around Emmarentia Dam, huge lot of fruit trees.

GS: Fruit trees, sho.

ML: Another thing that struck me about Greenside is how I think they tried to copy Linden. Now Linden everybody had a house and they had a piece of ground. And on the piece of ground you had a sort of recreational area and you had another area where they had fruit trees.

GS: Oh really?

ML: And our house was the same. Our house was sort of divided and we had about five fruit trees. One of them’s still there.

GS: That’s so interesting because ja now-

ML: I think they were trying to copy the Linden. Of course you know the plots are smaller so your-

GS: Ja.

ML: -fruit tree thing was much smaller and…

GS: So what fruit trees did you have in your garden?

ML: Ag, we had-

GS: Lemon maybe?

ML: No, no, no, no, it was plum trees. Hang on, if you tell me the names of the plum trees I can tell you. No, we had about three different types of plum tree.

GS: Oh okay.

ML: And a peach tree I think.

GS: Wow, sho.

ML: Something like that.

GS: Very nice. And what were fruit trees around Emmarentia? All kinds?

ML: Ja, and also where Greenside School was built.

GS: Ja.

ML: That was just full of fruit trees.

GS: Really?

ML: And we used to go and pinch the apricot trees. We used to go pinch the fruit out of there.

GS: So was it just for people to feed off from their residential home or was it a fruit tree farm that they sold the fruit somewhere or?

ML: No, that piece of ground was owned by the Parkview Golf Course.

GS: Oh okay.

ML: I think eventually the Parkview Golf Course sold it to the municipality and they built the Greenside High School there.

GS: Oh, I see.

ML: But it was earmarked for a school for years you know. You couldn’t build houses on it.

GS: Yes, yes. Oh okay.

ML: But I remember they had, to keep guard their fruit trees they imported a bull and put it on the property and one day when we went there to get some fruit this bull started charging us.

GS: Oh my goodness.

ML: Jumped that fence at 100 miles an hour to get away from this bull.

ML: As I say our street number was 46 Muirfield Road because it stopped at Rustenburg Road and Barry Hertzog-

GS: Oh and then at some point they changed all the numbers or what?

ML: No, what happens is they built Muirfield road down to the dam.

GS: The dam, ja.

ML: And then that became a residential area so then there was an extra lot of houses so you can work out the difference between 74 and 46. That’s the number of houses they built between Barry Hertzog and the dam.

GS: Sho. So then your number changed?

ML: Ja. But I can’t remember Troon, but often used to walk to Emmarentia Dam.

GS: Ja.

ML: And if you went along Muirfield Road you got to Rustenburg Road, you crossed it and then it was just veld down to the dam.

GS: Sho.

Emmarentia Dam

ML: And we used to play a lot at the dam-

GS: I’m sure, ja, it must’ve been beautiful.

ML: -especially the river below the dam.

GS: Yes.

ML: We’ve had a lot fun with crabs and things.

GS: Oh really wow.

ML: People used to come there with bread and you hang the bread and the crab would try and grab the bread.

GS: Wow. And did you fish?

ML: No, I don’t think there were many-

GS: Not really fish.

ML: There were some big fish in that dam. I’ve seen dead fish that’s come to the surface and they’ve been big.

GS: Oh.

ML: But I think they were fish that have put into the dam.

GS: Oh maybe. Okay.

ML: These ones with the long whiskers.

GS: Yes the catfish.

ML: Cat. Well, sort of cat.

GS: Barbel.

ML: Barbel. That’s it.

Street Trees

GS: Oh that’s so funny. Okay, so can you tell me a bit about the streets and how you think they’ve changed over time, because I know you mentioned that you remember when they planted the street trees?

ML: Ja that’s right. I think one of the first things I remember is they used to come with a tanker about everyday.

GS: To water them just after planting it.

ML: And they had a canvas hosepipe and they used to water the trees, but all had those frames-

GS: Yes there’s one left at the end of Hoylake Road (see image below)

ML: Yeah there’s one frame that’s sort of grown into the tree.

GS: Yes. So every tree had one of those?

ML: Ja and then it was tied with this three strings.

GS: Ja.

ML: Four strings to keep it in the middle. And then it grew. And later when the trees got bigger they came, they took the-

GS: They removed the steel structures. Okay. Sho.

Parkview Golfcourse

GS: And the Parkview Golf Course. Was that always there?

ML: Ja, that’s been there a long time.

GS: It’s been there long.

ML: One of the big features that… I was overseas for a while and I came back about ’85 and they all jumped on me to sign a petition. Apparently they were going to build a road down Bolton Road.

GS: Oh.

ML: It was going to go over the golf course and then come up Geers Avenue past the school and then go through some houses and then down and go past the wall and Emmarentia Dam and go out. It was a big east west expressway.

GS: Sho.

ML: But it never developed.

GS: Ja. Well thankfully because that would’ve not-

ML: It would’ve ruined Greenside.

GS: Ja definitely.

ML: It would affect the school as well because they have a sort of cement big highway going past the school.

GS: Ja. And anything else about the streets or like the space of the suburb because we’ve kind of spoken about the green spaces like the golf course and the dam. Are there other parks that you visited, maybe that Sir Lionel Phillips and Pirates? Did you spend time there?

ML: Well, the golf course, it had about an extra two holes that they’ve taken away.

GS: Oh really?

ML: And you know where the tennis courts are?

GS: Ja.

ML: And where the bowling green?

GS: Bowling club, ja.

ML: That was actually part of the golf course.

GS: Oh really?

ML: And then they took it away. That’s why you get that link road that goes… Do you know Link Road?

GS: No.

ML: You know if you go along… I forget that bottom road. The one below Gleneagles.

If you go down Link Road you’ll find about seven or eight houses at the bottom of Link Road. The funny thing is one of them’s on 12th Street. And if you look at Parkhurst you see 12th Street comes to the river and stops. And now you got a 12th Street in Greenside.

GS: And then it jumps the river. Oh wow.

ML: And then they never built a bridge to sort of link it up.

GS: Oh, I see.

ML: But that could’ve been one of the extensions of Greenside.

GS: Ja.

ML: But take a walk there sometime.

GS: Ja, I must go have a look. Sounds interesting.

ML: If you walk down Link Road they’re so surprised that you’re going down Link Road, you know what you coming down Link Road for because-

GS: No one goes there.

ML: It doesn’t go anywhere.   

Pirates   

GS: Okay. And Pirates has that been there for long. I don’t know about Pirates. Or that Lionel Phillips Park?

ML: Ja, the Lionel Phillips Park I think’s been going a long time. But Pirates I don’t know. You see, I don’t think it existed because I joined the Wanderers.

GS: Oh I see.

ML: And I don’t think Pirates was there at the time.

GS: Okay.

ML: I stayed at the Wanderers, but now the Wanderers is a too bit far for me to go now nowadays.

GS: Yes, what did you used to do, did you do running?

ML: Squash.

GS: Squash. Okay.

ML: Squash. Had a lot of friends that were mad about squash.

GS: Yes, oh cool.

ML: And the thing is that they had about six courts up there and used to be about a group of six of us and we used to go, so we occupied three squash courts.

GS: Oh nice.

ML: So if you went after half past nine at night, the bookings stopped like at half past nine, so you could play squash there.

Greenside Businesses

ML: Well the Greenside shops were maybe of interest. There was a butcher there.

GS: In Gleneagles Street?

ML: No in Greenway.

GS: In Greenway. Okay. .

ML: That Chemist has been there for years. It was run by a chap called Shovren. It was called Shovren’s Chemist. And there’s a cinema there called the Rex Cinema.

GS: Next to the pharmacy?

ML: Yes.

GS: Wow.

ML: That’s where that hairstylist is-

GS: Yes, the Carlton Hair Academy?

ML: If you look at it’s a peculiar shape building-

GS: Yes, did that used to be a… Okay, wow.

ML: And then opposite the cinema there was a sort of soda fountain where the people used to go during the break of the cinema and buy cold drinks and stuff.

GS: Sho. Ja and then… You said that there used to be two shuls, synagogues?

ML: No, the only one I know. Well this one down the road. That’s been there for years and the one in Emmarentia is a newer synagogue. But this one down in Greenside East has been there a long, long time.

GS: Yes, yes and when was the mosque built?

ML: Oh that’s very recent.

GS: Very recent, oh. And it’s interesting that there’s no church in Greenside.

ML: It was one of the conditions that the Geldenhuys’s laid down. That they cannot build a church in Greenside and they cannot have a pub in Greenside. It was one of the conditions that the ground was sold.

GS: Oh that’s interesting.

ML: So there’re no churches allowed in Greenside and no bars.

GS: So are there no churches in Emmarentia and Linden either because that was also part of the Geldenhuys land?

ML: I don’t know whether it followed through to… but it’s possible it did. That was a condition. So you know to balance it, no churches and no bars. It was one of the conditions.

GS: Oh okay, that’s interesting.

ML: Well that’s a good thing because we’ve never had a bar in Greenside, like you got a pub down in Parkhurst. But you know they seem to get around it by having off sales.

GS: Yes.

ML: And then there was a post office in Greenside, but it was on Greenfield Road.

GS: Okay.

ML: Later on they moved it up to Greenway.

Changes over time

ML: Well I tell you the thing that did change the suburb a lot is this Greenside High School because you started getting a lot of traffic down Muirfield road.

GS: Yes, yes, ja. I actually quite like hearing the kids walk past, down the street in the afternoon because it’s like a nice sound.

ML: But also the Greenside Primary’s changed a lot as well.

GS: Yes.

ML: It’s a lot of extra buildings on it now.

GS: Ja.

ML: When I was there, there was no school hall.

GS: Oh really, sho. They just started building it.

ML: There was no swimming pool.

GS: Wow. Have they got a pool now?

ML: Yes.

GS: So did your kids go to Greenside as well?

ML: Yes. All of them went to Greenside High.

GS: Greenside High and Greenside Primary?

ML: Yes.

GS: Oh they didn’t go to… You said you went to Parktown.

ML: Ja I went to Parktown but they had to go to Greenside.

GS: Oh, okay they went to…

ML: We could’ve tried to get them into Parktown maybe, but I don’t know… It’s a question of whether you go to a co-ed school or a…

GS: Yes.

ML: See my parents didn’t want me to go to a co-ed school. No, I don’t know, you see when they started Roosevelt it was a co-ed school and they didn’t want me to go to a co-ed school. They wanted me to go to an all boys school, can concentrate more if there’re no girls in the class.

GS: Ja, there’s still that debate.

ML: My brother automatically gave me access to Parktown Boys. So I was off to Parktown Boys no questions. But there was a boy the same age as me living next door and he went to Roosevelt and he was a founder member but that Roosevelt took a while to sort of get itself sorted out. There was a lot of trouble there.

first bus in greenside

ML: But I can remember the big event was when the first bus came to Greenside. It was a number 46 and they built that circle so the bus could turn around.

GS: Which circle? The one next to the golf course?

ML: No, where they’ve got the robots now. You know when you go down Greenway.

GS: Ja.

ML: There used to be a restaurant called The Circle.

GS: The Circle.

ML: And then there was a circle there.

GS: Oh.

ML: But now they got rid of the circle and they made a funny interchange there.

GS: Oh yes that one. Ja. Where was the circle?

ML: Where the robots are now at the bottom of Greenway.

GS: Oh.

ML: Opposite PostNet. Do you know where PostNet is?

GS: Oh, there where they’ve now done that upgrade at the carpet shop.

ML: That’s where the circle was.

GS: Oh okay and there was a restaurant called The Circle?

ML: Yes.

GS: And why was it such a big thing to have the bus come?

ML: Because I had to walk to Parkview to catch a tram into town. The only way to get into town was to walk to… Ja, you go across Chester Road and I think you go to Cardigan Road is it, I don’t know. Anyways you know the road that goes up to Parktown North?

GS: Ja.

ML: There was a tram there.

GS: A tram.

ML: And it went from Parktown North and it went down-

GS: Into town.

ML: And then it went past the Zoo Lake.

GS: Ja.

ML: Then it went up past the Zoo.

GS: Oh, okay.

ML: And then it went into town.

GS: Sho.

ML: So the only way without a car.

GS: Ja. So then when the busses came then you started going by bus to school?

ML: Ja, but the-

GS: Was that much easier?

ML: -bus service was so terrible. You had about a bus every hour something.

GS: Oh okay, wow.

ML: I remember the first bus was number 46 Greenside and I was so excited to see a bus coming to Greenside because you didn’t have to walk to the tram.

GS: Ja.

ML: Catch a tram into town.

GS: Sho. And is that where you did your shopping, in town? Like where did you normally-

ML: Well, I used to go with my mother because my mother couldn’t drive.

GS: Okay.

ML: So I used to go with my mother and we used to go to a place called Jensen Groceries or something.

GS: Where was that?

ML: Ag it was somewhere in town, I can’t remember, but I used to help her carry all her groceries to the tram and then bring them back here.

GS: Because there was probably no Checkers down the road.

ML: No, there was-

GS: No shop close by here.         

ML: No, the only thing in Greenside from what I can remember was a butchery.

GS: Yes.

ML: And a chemist.

GS: Oh okay.

ML: And the cinema and a café.

GS: Okay, sho.

ML: And there was a grocer shop that was down on Greenfield Road, but he closed because the supermarket put him out of business.

GS: Oh, I see.

ML: But there was a grocer.

GS: Ja.

ML: I can remember going to the grocer.

GS: Sho.

ML: And I was about to buy something there and some women came and told me, “You know you can get that at half price at Checkers,” or something.

GS: Shame, so that’s why they closed. Shame. Ja, so thanks Mike, ja it was just basically to just hear a bit more about the suburb. It would be interesting also to hear from other people.

ML: It’s a pity that Craig Bruce, he died.

GS: Oh, yes.

ML: We used to play tennis with him.

GS: Oh, really.

ML: But he knew a lot more about Greenside than I did.

GS: Yes, ja.

ML: And he used to tell me a lot about Greenside.

GS: Oh really, ja. And just hearing like the memories of a place, of growing up here, what was significant, what was memorable, like the bus story is a great one.

ML: Ja, you see there was… Parkhurst had a lot of people who worked on lathes, artisans.

GS: Oh yes.

ML: And they used to go into town and work at places like Hubert Davies, so that’s why the Parkhurst service was far better than the Greenside service.

GS: Oh.

ML: And they used to go in early in the morning. You see I had to do vac work and I had to work at Hubert Davies and anyway. I had to be at Hubert Davies some unearthly hour, seven, half past seven in the morning.

GS: Sho.

ML: And there were no busses so I had to basically make use of the Parkhurst… I had to walk to Cardigan Road and catch a Parkhurst bus.

GS: Oh okay.

ML: Walk down… Because there were plenty of Parkhurst busses and hardly any Greenside busses.

GS: Sho.

ML: But the Greenside busses sort of started later so I couldn’t get into town in time.

Trees

GS: Ja, and then sorry just lastly with this nursery… is that why Greenside also has more trees, or like more unusual trees than maybe other suburbs or why do you think…

ML: I belong to this walking group.

GS: Ja.

ML: And this bloke walked along the Parkview Golf Course and he said the whole walk he’s seen about three indigenous trees. All the-

GS: All exotics.

ML: So basically what it turns out, some Englishman came here and he wants to be back in England, so that’s why those oaks up at avenue to that-

GS: To Greenside High School.

ML: Ja, well it was a farmhouse in those days. I think it was a farmhouse.

GS: Oh yes.

ML: And he thinks he was back in England and he wanted to come up a avenue of oak trees to his farmhouse, so he planted all these oak trees, but apparently that’s the sort of story.

GS: Sho.

ML: So the bloke says the people wanted to play golf in Parkview as though they were playing golf in England, they wanted to see all the same trees, so they imported trees and imported trees. You know the trees that grow in this country have got tap roots. These trees have got roots that spread out, that’s why all my paving’s lifting up because the roots go out horizontally.

GS: Ja, ja.

ML: But that’s a story I got out of him. They call them exotic trees and that causes a lot of trouble, because we used to walk at Delta Park and there was a avenue of what, cotton trees and it must’ve also been a road that went to somebody’s house but he says the seeds fall off and then they get washed down towards the river and then more trees come up close to the river. Eventually he says the river gets full of cotton seeds and then they start coming up in the river bed all the way-

GS: Down the-

ML: Ja and he says it’s a big headache.

GS: Sho.

ML: Especially the black wattle.

GS: Yes.

ML: It’s a weed.

GS: Ja, like there a lot of oaks and these plane trees but then I’ve seen like some unusual ones as well.

ML: It’s all Englishmen that brought the stuff out apparently.

GS: Oh yes.

ML: And most probably that’s why we’ve got plane trees because somebody I walked with that seemed to be, he must’ve had a degree in botany and zoology and what have you, but he seemed to know all about plants, because we were talking about clivias and he’s talking about clivias, where you’ve got to plant them and all the rest of it and he was going on, but he told me that these plane trees exactly the same as the plane trees in England or something. Because I said, we used to call them maple trees, but they not maple trees they plane trees. No, he corrected me.

GS: London plane, ja.

ML: He says it’s a London plane. No, he asked me, “Has it got a white bark?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “No that’s a London plane, it’s not a maple tree at all.”

importance of memory

GS: Oh, okay. And okay, so… Why do you think it’s important personally to remember and think about history and appreciate history of a place?

ML: Oh well I don’t know, I’ve had this question answered by other people. They say, have you ever lived without a memory?

GS: Okay.

ML: They say, “Living without history is like living without a memory.”

GS: So it’s good to-

ML: So history is a absolute necessity. That’s what they tell me. Some expert psychologist told me that story. So it’s true in a way.

GS: Ja.

ML: So you know if the history of Greenside was blotted out, you’d have no memory of Greenside. Same as if your memory was blotted out, you would forget all your school days and everything.

GS: Oh Okay. Ja, so those are all my questions Mike.

ML: What is this for? Is this a…

GS: No, I just want to write a blog on my website about the history of Greenside.

ML: Yes.

GS: Then I thought as part of my research I could… I’m struggling because I went to the Parkview Library and they’ve got a few booklets on the history of Parkview but it doesn’t… No mention of Greenside. And obviously Emmarentia’s got that whole Louw Geldenhuys history and… but there’s not really a lot of specific… like even this Rand Nurseries. Finding out more information about it, it’s very hard to come by.

ML: Look, I suggest you go and see John Carstens.

GS: Maybe.

ML: Because he knows a lot more than I know I think. You see that Melville Koppies might’ve been a part of the farm, I’m not sure.

GS: Yes.

ML: I don’t know whether it stopped-

GS: Yes, I think it is part of that original-

ML: I don’t know. You see, the farm might’ve stopped at Judith Road and Melville Koppies is something else.

GS: Ja.

ML: The other hand the Melville Koppies might be part of the farm, I don’t know.

GS: Ja.

ML: But the farm house is in Orange Road. It’s quite well known.

GS: Okay. Is that where Emmarentia lived? I think I’ve read a bit about that.

ML: Yeah that’s where the farm was.

GS: I think they read about that.

ML: There’s not much history-

GS: -I’ll write something up.

ML: -on Greenside.

GS: Ja.

ML: But you learn from history. Well, you should learn but… Okay, are you finished then?

GS: Ja, thanks so much Mike. Thanks very much for your time and, all the insights.

Melville Koppies

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Like many people who have lived in Johannesburg for many years (some even their whole lives!) I had never visited the nature reserve in the heart of Johannesburg.

I had heard so much about it - the beautiful views, the amazing birdlife (over 200 spp), the incredible flora and the rich history that this nature reserve held so I was so excited to finally visit it. I met with a group of friends in the Marks Park Sport Club parking lot off Judith Road and we crossed carefully to enter the Main Gates framed by stone walls.

The reserve has recently changed its opening times to every Sunday morning from 8 to 11.30am. Visitors are welcomed on arrival by volunteers and given a map so that they can explore the trails at their own pace. The cost is R80 per adult and R40 per child and all proceeds are used towards the maintenance of the Park. Guided tours for small groups can be arranged.

The Central section was proclaimed a nature reserve in 1959 and is a declared national heritage site. The 50ha area can be explored through pathways and there are information boards detailing the heritage and history of the area as well as the fauna and flora to be found there.

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The reserve is made up of three sections namely Melville Koppies Central, Melville Koppies East and Melville Koppies West. The East and West sections are open public space and access is not controlled. The East side is only 10ha in size and is frequented by dog walkers while the West section is 100ha large and borders the Westpark Cemetery. There are security issues here so it is advisable to only hike in groups with security. I was surprised to see security guards actively patrolling the nature reserve (Central) when we visited on Sunday and this really added to a sense of safety which is always a concern when visiting public spaces in Johannesburg.

Map from the Melville Koppies Website (www.mk.org.za/mkcal.htm)

Map from the Melville Koppies Website (www.mk.org.za/mkcal.htm)

Map of Melville Koppies Central Walking Paths

Map of Melville Koppies Central Walking Paths

More information on the geology of the reserve can be found on their website www.mk.org.za

More information on the geology of the reserve can be found on their website www.mk.org.za

Vegetation

The vegetation of the Koppies is entirely indigenous and is a remarkable example of the richness of highveld grasses, flowers, and trees so close to a city centre. The variety of the flora can be seen in the 500 identified species within the eight undisturbed plant communities that have been identified. There are also 56 species of grass recorded and the dominant trees include Acacia robusta, Acacia caffra, Euclea crispa (Blue Guarri), Celtis africana (White Stinkwood), Brachylaena rotundata and (Mountain Silver-oak). The Protea caffra and Mundelea sericea (Corkbush) were also lovely to see.

Along the western boundary where the Westdene Spruit flows a beautiful riverine forest can be found with large Celtis africana (White Stinkwood), Combretum erythrophyllum (River Bushwillows), Olea europea (Wild Olive), and Kiggelaria africana (Wild Peach). The trees were planted in the 1960s to show people how beautiful our indigenous trees are. This part of the reserve is known as the Arboretum and was a highlight for me - the flowing water is calming and the trees beautiful and shady.

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Water

This stream, the Westdene Spruit, is one of the many streams flowing north from the Witwatersrand watershed. Among them are the Braamfontein Spruit and the Jukskei, and they all eventually join the Limpopo River, which enters the Indian Ocean at Xai-Xai in Mozambique.

History

Melville Koppies carries evidence of ancient hunter-gatherers, early farmers as well as the first iron-age miners of the Witwatersrand. In 1989 Professor R J Mason published a "Guide to Archaeology Sites: Johannesburg". The purpose of the paper was as much to inform and educate the public as to make a plea for greater awareness of the heritage we are losing.

He identified seven archaeological sites on what we call Melville Koppies Central: African Iron Furnace Models; A second Tswana Iron Furnace; Tswana hut floor and pottery - 300 years old; 1880s gold prospecting; 1900s gun emplacement and Early 1900s quarries. There are information boards and examples of some of the tools and implements on display at the lecture hall.

The fascinating history of how the original Braamfontein farm passed to Louw Geldenhuis during the gold rush in 1886 and how the northern suburbs evolved out of this can also be viewed on an information board at the lecture hall.

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Volunteers

The nature reserve would not be what it is today without the involvement of passionate and dedicated volunteers. The Melville Koppies Management Committee works hard to maintain the paths, control alien invasive vegetation, pick up litter and control illegal access to maintain the reserve on an ongoing basis. They also are always looking for ways to raise money for the reserve so that the salaries of the staff they employ can be paid as well as the additional security they hire.

Richard Hall devoted over 25 years to the maintenance of Melville Koppies and together with David Mpilo, a Council worker they tackled projects of cleaning, weeding and restoring the reserve. Wendy Carstens began to work with Richard Hall from 1997 and is still actively involved today. She received the honorary Ellen Kuzwayo award from the University of Johannesburg for ‘Her commitment to conservation and tourism at Melville Koppies’.

How can you help

You can help firstly by visiting (have you?) and also by making donations to Melville Koppies (bank details on their website) or by registering them as a MySchoolMyVillageMyPlanet beneficiary.

Contact Wendy Carstens wendavid@mweb.co.za for further information. www.mk.org.za

We loved our time spent at Melville Koppies and will definitely be back again! Thank you to all those involved in the upkeep and running of this historical and ecological gem.

4 Inspiring Spaces and Places in Johannesburg

When you think of Johannesburg there are many pictures that may come to mind - highways with fast cars (or very slow ones with the terrible traffic!), tall flashy buildings housing the headquarters of the top companies in the country or materials such as concrete, glass and asphalt along with the accompanying noise and pollution. A fast paced city with people on the move and money to be made.

While I agree that there are negative sides to Johannesburg, like all cities, I have made a point of exploring some of the lesser known hideouts, especially those that have a strong nature and beauty component, to discover the hidden gems and softer side of the city that we don’t always see.

View over Johannesburg (Image credit pixabay.com)

View over Johannesburg (Image credit pixabay.com)

Here are a few spaces that I’ve discovered and are well worth visiting:

1. Monument to 6 Million Jewish Martyrs in Europe

An impressive sculpture designed by Herman Wald can be visited at the Jewish quarter of the Westpark Cemetery. It consists of six bronze fists each 1.5m high holding shofars which stand a further 6m tall. A twisting ‘Eternal flame’ sits in the centre of the three arches that the sculpture creates. It was unveiled on the the 10th of May 1959 by Rabbi M. Neurock, member of the Israeli parliament who specially travelled to S.A for that purpose. The inscription on the plaque at the foot of the memorial reads “In everlasting memory of the six million Jews. Victims of man’s inhumanity to man who perished in the death camps of Europe 1939-1945. ‘Thou Shalt Not Forget’ “

See a previous Blog post on this Sculpture here.

For further information and historical references see Herman Wald’s website.

2. RMB Think Precinct

This urban square, located on the corner of Fredman Drive & Gwen Lane in Sandton Central also functions as an outdoor art gallery. It is situated at the entrance to the Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) headquarters and houses several of RMB’s artworks by famous South African artists including Eduardo Villa, Pieter Greyvensteyn, Angus Taylor, Guy Pierre Du Toit and Marieke Prinsloo-Rowe. The Think Bench by Louis Olivier which is on display here can also be seen at the University of Pretoria and the University of Stellenbosch.

Art captures the spirit of the time, transform lives and bind together, not only hearts and souls, but entire societies and nations. Having a Corporate Art Collection on-site helps to reflect the culture of the company in an unspoken way. For example, Africa’s 'Fearless Girl' expresses how diversity and gender equality are valued and embraced. Our people and clients have always had easy access to the palpable energy that original creativity exudes. Artworks are generously displayed across workspaces and our newly refurbished Think Precinct hosts our most extraordinary sculptures in one central, outdoor area, for all to engage,” says RMB CEO, James Formby (www.rmb.co.za/page/rmb-welcomes-africas-fearless-girl)

If you are visiting Sandton be sure to also see the iconic statue of Nelson Mandela at the Sandton City Shopping Centre. The only statue that you will see of this hero that is larger can be found in front of the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

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3. Nirox Sculpture Park

A most inspiring expanse of beautiful trees, lakes and waterways located in the Cradle of Humankind about 45 minutes from Johannesburg. You can discover something new every time you visit this park . The Park is open to the public on weekends and public holidays 10:00-16:00, or by special arrangements during the week.

Their aim to support the arts in all its forms can be clearly seen expressed in the numerous exhibitions and functions they have hosted there. Since NIROX’ beginnings in 2006, we continue to create and share an atmosphere that empowers, inspires and becalms artists; where visitors continue to be nourished with art in nature. (www.niroxarts.com/copy-of-sculpture-park)

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The Sculpture Park regularly hosts independently curated exhibitions, functions, concerts and performances. They have hosted more than 300 resident artists and their aim is to encourage engagement and promotion of the arts in all forms. The restaurant on site is called ‘And then there was Fire’ and serves woodfire grill “We want to share with you the atmosphere of this place, the food that the earth provides and the beauty that surrounds us.” (www.andthentherewasfire.com)

4. Victoria Yards

The redevelopment of this sprawling light industrial site (30,000m2) is the brainchild of the developer behind 44 Stanley. A once derelict and mostly abandoned complex of buildings has been redeveloped and transformed into a haven for artists and creatives with a strong emphasis on skill sharing and community empowerment. The buildings are interconnected with spaces that are filled with vegetables and fruit trees making these areas both beautiful and functional. Urban agriculture is one of the many elements of this hub of creativity where community is encouraged to engage.

The project has won several awards: “The Urban Land Institute’s inaugural ULI Europe Awards for Excellence, which recognise outstanding urban development projects in the EMEA region. Developer and owner: Mr Brian Green – lead developer and consultant/planner. Architect: Boom Architects: Victoria Yards is a unique regeneration project that has risen from the ashes of a derelict industrial site to become an entrepreneurial incubation centre providing space at cost to social and artistic enterprises from the neighbourhood and beyond. It is an outstanding example of how creative thinking, community engagement and strong leadership can deliver immediate and evolving commercial, social and environmentally sustainable developments. Victoria Yards has created a thriving community that is as much about social cohesion and learning as it is a commercial enterprise. (www.victoriayards.co.za)

The project is a precedent for urban regeneration and gentrification while at the same time the developers have clearly been sensitive to the heritage of the site. The buildings have a raw beauty and several sculptures are dotted throughout the landscape. Some of the sculptures are by James Delaney who has his studio there and is known for his involvement in The Wilds. (Click here to read a previous post about The Wilds)

Visitors are welcome everyday. See Facebook for updates on their markets and upcoming events.


There are many beautiful and inspiring spaces in Johannesburg. Tell me about your favourite?

Everard Read Art Gallery on Keyes Art Mile, Rosebank

Keyes Art Mile
keyes art mile map

The Everard Read Art Gallery is located on what is know as the ‘Keyes Art Mile’ and is surrounded be several other art destinations. The Circa Art Gallery is directly over the road, the building an artwork in itself, while the Goodman Gallery and Gallery MOMO are both a few kilometres away.

Green Wall St Teresas

While driving down the one way street of Keyes Avenue it is hard to miss the Green Wall Façade on the right hand side as part of St Teresa’s School. Here is a link to an article written about this Project by Johan Wentzel from Wildflower Nursery who assisted in selecting the plant species, all of which are endemic (only locally found) to the Highveld. All species are found in the Egoli Granite Grassland Vegetation Type and would have been likely to be found in the area before the urban intervention of city development.

keyes art mile

My visit also reminded me of the last botanical art exhibition I went to at this gallery (In May 2018) and I rediscovered the notes I took at one of the evening lectures I attended by Reinier Tereblanche on Butterflies. What stood out for me was the interdependence of butterflies and plants and reminded me again how important it is to plant indigenous and create gardens with diversity. Did you know there are 660 species of Butterfly in South Africa, second only to the tropics. This lecture was actually where I first heard about Tswalu Foundation.

Botanical Art Exhibition

As I love all things botanical I was keen to view the current botanical art exhibition by Gillian Condy. I had the privilege of seeing Gillian Condy in action when I did a botanical art course at The Cavern with Elsa Pooley which they run annually (See Post about The Cavern Here). Gillian is a renown botanical artist and she was appointed Artists in Residence (AiR) at the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve and made eight trips to the reserve over 14 months to illustrate the plants.

The exhibition is a beautiful reflection of the natural flora of the Tswalu reserve and really highlights the beauty, intricacy and marvel you can find in nature. It also reminded me that the Pangolin is one of the animals on the endangered list that few people know about. I remember growing up someone brought one in to my Dad’s veterinary practice and he called us to specially come see it. I don’t think I appreciated at the time what a rare event it was to see this animal.

tswalu botanical art

The first time my friend and I tried to visit the gallery there was a production on in Circa which is where the botanical art is on display so we explored the Brett Murray exhibition in the Everard Read building, followed by a delicious coffee and croissant at L’Atelier Bakery. The second time we visited I brought my two kids along (3 and 6 yrs) and to make it more exciting for them I drew up a scavenger hunt with photos so that they had things to find and discover (attached at the end if you want to take your kids). We explored the galleries followed by another visit to L’Atelier Bakery for their amazing pastries. I will need to find another excuse to visit again!

L’ Atelier Bakery

L’ Atelier Bakery

I was very moved by the exhibition by John Meyer of iconic moments in Nelson Mandela’s life and think that those paintings are an incredible reminder of what an amazing leader he was and what he did for our country. I highly recommend you visit Circa over the next while, not only to see the beautiful botanical artworks but also the stunning images of Nelson Mandela by John Meyer.

https://lifeofmandela.com/about-the-collection/

https://lifeofmandela.com/about-the-collection/






What makes George Hay Park a Successful Community Park?

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As a landscape architect I am always analyzing outdoor spaces and trying to pinpoint what makes them attractive, enjoyable and successful. What changes a ‘space’ into a ‘place’? Why are people drawn to a place and what makes them come back again? What attributes does a public space need to become an integral part of a community and how does one achieve this?

george hay park map

George Hay Park is located in the heart of Parkview, Johannesburg and at first sight it can seem to be an ordinary rectangular open area of lawn with some trees that is not very different to many other parks in Johannesburg. However, on closer inspection you will find that this Park is a place loved by the community and where many residents spend regular time with friends, walk their dogs, share special celebrations and enjoy time together with their children on the playground.

Here are several reasons that contribute to the success of George Hay Park:

  1. Location

    Situated in the centre of a residential suburb with grid-like layout the park is within easy walking distance and far enough from busy roads to be secluded but accessible. There is also a road all around the Park which makes for increased visibility (frequented by private security companies patrolling the neighbourhood) adding to a feeling of safety. Cars can park along the street next to where they will be spending time in the Park. Parkview itself has a strong sense of place and rich history which adds to the overall atmosphere of the park.


    2. Terrain and Layout

    The physical characteristics of the site can be described as rectangular and flat with many large trees providing shade. It is comprised of a large lawn area, dotted with large trees, includes areas with children’s play equipment and has a strip of indigenous planting along three of the edges.

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3. Edges

The Park is surrounded by a black metal fence on three sides and this contributes to the feeling of containment and protection that one feels when inside the Park. This is especially important for keeping small children safe as it prevents them from running into the street. The northern most boundary of the park is where the Columbas Church is located and this edge has a gum pole fence that is a more permeable edge and creates a sense of connection between the church and the Park. (http://stcolumbas.org.za/ )

St Columbas

4. Facilities

As mentioned the park contains play equipment for children of varying ages. The play equipment for smaller children has baby swings, a small slide, a see-saw and monkey bars while the play equipment for older kids has larger swings, a large slide and a roundabout. There is a small basketball court as well as outdoor gym equipment. A beautiful rustic tree house has been built around a large existing tree creating a wonderful space for children to have imaginative play. There are many benches that one can sit on and water is provided in bowls for visiting dogs.

Organic Tree House Built around Existing Tree

Organic Tree House Built around Existing Tree

George Hay Park

5. Use

The Park is used for a variety of small, personal functions (birthday parties, baby showers) and also provides a space for large scale community gatherings. Several well-supported events take place in the park throughout the year, some of which occur annually, including: Halloween Event, Christmas Market and Potjiekos Competition. These events have the added benefit of strenghtening realtionships within the community and celebrating the neighbourhood. It creates memories that become associations which then contributes to the sense of attachment and belonging that a person has to a place.

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Halloween Community Event in George Hay Park  (photo taken 31 October 2019)

Halloween Community Event in George Hay Park (photo taken 31 October 2019)

6. Community Ownership

This must be one of the most important characteristics that set this park apart. The Parkview Residents Association) PRA is actively involved in the maintenance and running of George Hay Park and without their involvement it is clear that the park would not be what it is today.

“Beginning in 2007, and continuing ever since, many different projects have been undertaken including the renovation and staffing of the toilet block, the repainting of the perimeter fence, the repair of the drinking fountain, the renovation and securing of the storeroom, the installation of benches and tables, annual planting of indigenous trees, often planned around Arbor Week in September and the repair and installation of new playground equipment. In 2008 the need for a permanent but casual parkkeeper was recognised as a way to keep the park clean and safe on a daily basis. Funds were raised by asking those residents who live on the perimeter of the park (and any others willing to do so) to commit to a monthly contribution. Daily duties include making sure the bins are cleared (and any recyclables removed and the dog poo removed. Other duties include watering the trees and keeping their bases free of grass, feeding the trees, weeding the pavements and pruning bushes and trees where necessary, watering the grass in early summer and raking and piling leaves in winter.” Reference: (http://www.parkview.org.za/content/george-hay-park)

It is evident that a successful park needs many components in order to provide a place for its users to find enjoyment, to feel safe and to take ownership of a place so that they keep returning. When many people use a park it feels safer as there are always other users and it’s presence becomes well embedded in their minds and hearts.

Vegetable Garden Initiative

Vegetable Garden Initiative

Indigenous planting along edges - pictured here is Anisodontea scabrosa and Aloe spp.

Indigenous planting along edges - pictured here is Anisodontea scabrosa and Aloe spp.

Other blog posts about Parks in Johannesburg:

Bordeaux South Park

Entrances are highlighted by Arches and Aloes, welcoming you into the Park

Entrances are highlighted by Arches and Aloes, welcoming you into the Park

Tucked away in the boomed off suburb of Bordeaux South (the suburb is roughly located between Hurlingham and Blairgowrie in Randburg) in Johannesburg, lies a beautiful community park. The Park is well maintained and cared for through the efforts of the active residents association (BSRA- http://www.bsra.co.za/) who have invested a fair amount of money into upgrading the Park and this has really made such a difference.

A quote from the Bordeaux South Residents Association website:

“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.” George Bernard Shaw

Clear Pathways, Seating, Litter Bins all contribute to making this an enjoyable park

Clear Pathways, Seating, Litter Bins all contribute to making this an enjoyable park

Bike Track with Traffic Lights for Kids

Bike Track with Traffic Lights for Kids

The Park is well used by families because of the extensive play equipment making this an amazing playground for kids of all ages. There are shady spots for picnics, several seating options, a volleyball court, a bike track with miniature traffic lights, and even a small free community library that residents donate books to.

Free Community Library

Free Community Library

New jungle gyms for smaller tots have recently been installed with rubber matting surfaces.

New jungle gyms for smaller tots have recently been installed with rubber matting surfaces.

Signage indicates the appropriate ages for the play equipment

Signage indicates the appropriate ages for the play equipment

Water Bowls for Dogs visiting the Park

Water Bowls for Dogs visiting the Park

The Bordeaux South Residents Association is making a difference at improving their suburb

The Bordeaux South Residents Association is making a difference at improving their suburb

Such a lovely park to visit if you have kids. Take Note that there are no ablution facilities at the Park.