The revitalisation of parks and open spaces in downtown Johannesburg

Abstract

Notwithstanding the "back-to-the-city" process taking place in pockets of Johannesburg's inner city, the area investigated in this study is still perceived by some observers as one of decline and is associated with criminal activities. Although Johannesburg's parks and open spaces have been subjected to urban decline over the past decades, they are currently undergoing urban revitalisation. This study investigates the size and user-friendliness of the open spaces and parks accessible to inner-city residents. It also considers current conditions and the level and effectiveness of the maintenance services available. Furthermore, it examines the regeneration strategies of Johannesburg, determining through them the specific provisions made for parks and open spaces by the local metropolitan council. The study determines that the redevelopment of parks and open spaces has been adequately incorporated into Johannesburg's urban regeneration plans. However, certain constraints are thwarting progress in implementing such improvements. The unique dynamics of the inner city pose a significant challenge to maintaining parks and open spaces, and these should be properly understood and planned for. There also appears to be a need for fairer and more efficient allocation of resources and for forging more effective partnerships. The study concludes that the needs of the community will only be met once these management issues have been prioritised and addressed.

Editorial - Urban and spatial challenges in South Africa: Continuing (and extending) the conversation

“…The collection here continues the multiple conversations about the urban and spatial challenges facing South Africa that began to be discussed in this journal five years ago (Rogerson et al, 2014). Subsequently, these conversations have been enriched also by the appearance of a number of other South African research contributions which have been published in Urbani izziv between 2014 and 2018 (Campbell, 2016;de Vries & Kotze, 2016;Rogerson & Rogerson, 2016). In addition, the collection seeks to introduce certain new themes of growing interest to South African urban and spatial researchers and which are embedded in an appropriate international research scholarship.…”

Taming The Wilds: tactical urbanism and creative placemaking in the revitalisation of a nature reserve in Johannesburg, South Africa

“…Additionally, in the post-apartheid era, public space such as parks have deteriorated, due to neglect, vandalism, poor management and crime (de Vries & Kotze, 2016;Landman, 2016). Indeed, the maintenance of parks continues to be a significant challenge for local governments, not just in Johannesburg (Nemutamvuni et al, 2020).…”

Revitalisation of open spaces, changing centralities and neighbourhoods, and the importance of spatial planning for climate change adaptation

“…In their article "The revitalisation of parks and open spaces in downtown Johannesburg, " Leani de Vries and Nico Kotze (2016) show that urban regeneration provides a solution to the problem of urban decay and that an important aspect of urban regeneration is to acknowledge the importance of green open spaces because they make cities more attractive. In addition, parks and open spaces serve the surrounding community with a multitude of functions and benefits.…”