Cape Town Sport and Recreational Activities throughout School Holiday

City parents will not need to worry about how they will keep their children busy this holiday, as the City of Cape Town's Sport, Recreation and Amenities Department will host a range of activities at many of its community halls and sports facilities, and even holiday camps, during the summer school holiday.

According to Gert Bam, Director: Sport, Recreation and Amenities, his Department, together with other roleplayers and stakeholders, will host a number of youth development and leadership holiday programmes for children from the beginning of December, up until the end of January 2011.

The Department has planned over one thousand (1000) holiday programmes that will run daily over the summer season. The programmes will be presented at sixteen (16) of the Department's swimming pools, ten (10) beaches, forty-two (42) parks and public open spaces, five (5) libraries, seventy-two (72) sport and recreation facilities and seven (7) resorts across the metropole.

"Each of the six (6) districts within the Sport, Recreation and Amenities Department will employ twelve (12) temporary play leaders to boost the existing permanent capacity, and will also use the services of volunteers, to ensure that all the programmes are effectively implemented. Our goal with these programmes is to encourage children from communities throughout the city to participate in sport, recreation and special events during the holiday period, and in the long term," said Bam.

An exciting inclusion this year is the hosting of holiday camps at these City resorts: Harmony Park, Monwabisi, Kuils River Caravan Park and the Princessvlei Eco Adventure Centre.

According to Bam, the objectives of these camps are to expose the youth to fun, social and life skills, whilst teaching them how to work in groups, respect authority and appreciate nature. "These are skills and lessons the youth will be able to take back into their communities and positively influence their peers. They will be based at the camps and will also go on mountain hikes and excursions to explore the biodiversity within the city."

Indoor programmes that will be hosted at Community Centres include board games, gymnastics, rope skipping, poetry and drama, concerts, indigenous games, cultural dances and fitness training.

Outdoor programmes include, five-a-side soccer, mini-netball, basketball, cricket, hockey, sport against crime, beach soccer, learn to swim, beach volleyball, touch rugby and various recreational activities.

"These programmes would not be made possible without the Department's effective volunteer programme," said Bam. The volunteer programme aims to deliver sport and recreational services to the communities and to equip individuals with the much needed working experience and personal development.

The volunteer programme standardises volunteer recruitment and management procedures across the Department, and also makes volunteers feel valued in the organisation.

A total of twenty-eight (28) volunteer hubs have been established in Community Centres and other venues such as Joe Slovo, Dunoon, Langa, Salt River, Ocean View, Lotus River, Samora Machel, Khayelitsha Thusong Centre, Mitchells Plain Thusong, Andile Msizi, Delft South Hall, Kalksteenfontein, Bonteheuwel Multi-Purpose Centre(MPC), Cathkin Community Centre, Lansport Community Centre, Duinefontein Recreational Centre, Atlantis, Ruth First Hall, Crossroads MPC, Luyolo Recreational Centre, Uitsig, Scottsdene Youth Centre, Leonsdale, Fisantekraal MPC, Proteaville, Blue Downs and Hillcrest.

Councillor Brett Herron, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services, said: "Our holiday programmes are structured in such a way that there will be something that will interest children of all ages. In addition to the activities already mentioned, towards the end of the holiday, the focus of the programmes will shift towards preparing the children for the new school year."

Herron encouraged parents to drop their children at these centres, where they will be kept busy and looked after. "These holiday programmes aim at teaching the children valuable life and leadership skills whilst having fun and making new friends. We would like to encourage parents to not leave their children alone at home this holiday while they have to go to work, but to rather make use of these opportunities and have their children attend the activities."

The public is encouraged to visit the Community Centres in their communities.

For further information, contact the following Recreation Officers:

Issued by:
Communication Department
City of Cape Town