New Sport Facility at School Adds Value to Belhar Community

Joyful emotions ran high as the Western Cape’s first school-based multipurpose sport court was officially opened at Dr Van Der Ross Primary School in Belhar on Thursday, 14 March 2013.

Waiting eagerly to take their netball and soccer balls onto the court, learners from various schools in the area shouted with joy as the blue ribbon was cut. Members of the community watched teams square up to become the first to play on the state-of-the-art sport court.

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport partnered with the school, the Sports Trust and Pareto Limited, owners of the Tygervalley Shopping Centre, to make this facility possible. It is expected to play a significant role in uplifting the community. The court will be shared so that other schools in the area, as well as local sport clubs, can benefit.

The court has a 20-year lifespan and 15-year warranty. Its interlocking tiles provide a high level of “lateral forgiveness”. This design helps to cushion impact on players’ joints, making sport safer, particularly for young people. An environmental audit has certified the court’s “Zero Waste” status. This is in line with the Sports Trust’s “green” policy of helping to protect the environment in its work. The sporting codes to be played on this court include 5-a-side soccer (futsal), netball, basketball, tennis and volleyball.

The opening of the facility demonstrates the Western Cape Government’s support for linking physical exercise, mental equilibrium and a good quality of life for the people of the province. The Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Dr Ivan Meyer, thanked the partners for making a difference in a disadvantaged community. He was delighted that the partnership has resulted in the provision of a sport facility that will enrich the education of learners at the school.

“The facility can now form part of the Department’s Mass participation, Opportunity and access, Development and growth (MOD) programme. It adds value to our young learners’ lives and brings them hope”, said Meyer.

Pareto Limited and the Sports Trust expressed the hope that the facility will create opportunities for sporting excellence to emerge from local schools and the Belhar community as a whole. The principal of the school, Mr Kennedy Ford, said the facility would help keep youth occupied after school, support friendly competition through sport, and contribute to the school’s aim of ensuring the holistic development of its learners. “I can imagine the emergence of many professional athletes from Belhar”, he said.

Facilities such as this sport court are valuable components of proud communities. They bring real meaning to people, and show the value of partnership by encouraging learners to participate in, and grow, through sport.