Ranked the No 1 Picnic Spot in Gauteng (Getaway Magazine)

Picnics are a must in the warmer months of the year. The sun shining brightly, birds chirping cheerfully and your favourite food and drinks: what could be better on a hot summer afternoon?

Gauteng residents are fortunate to have a multitude of grassy areas in the province just waiting to be explored. Some of these are well-known and others less so. You might have hiked, cycled or walked your dog in these parks but have you ever just whiled away the hours beneath the shady trees?

Pack a basket with delightful eats and treats, invite your loved ones or simply enjoy some alone time. Here are some beautiful picnic spots to try.

1. James and Ethel Gray Park

 This park was named after former Johannesburg mayor in 1946, James Gray and his wife Ethel. 

According to the Rosebank Killarney Gazette, the couple even hosted the royal family when they visited South Africa in 1947. Here, you can kick back and spread out on the rolling hills, take in the stunning city views from a lookout point or enjoy one of the many walkways. 

JAMES AND ETHEL GRAY PARK FOUNDATION APPEALS TO PARK-USERS, GREATER JOHANNEBSURG RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY, SUSTAINABILITY AND UTILITY OF THE FLAGSHIP JAMES AND ETHEL GRAY PARK, ON WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY, 5 JUNE 2020

Johannesburg, 5 June 2020.  Less than a year prior to World Environment Day 2020, the James and Ethel Gray Park, in Johannesburg, South Africa was in a derelict condition. The park was characterised by limited community utilisation, non-biodegradable waste and litter strewn across the length and breadth of the park, physical attacks on park-users, a spate of murders, regular illegal entry of commercial vehicles and an increase in home invasions adjacent to the park.   The park has since undergone a significant positive transformation since the inception of the James and Ethel Gray Park Foundation (JEGPF). 

The Foundation was launched on 10 September 2019, as a partnership involving the Melrose North Residents and Ratepayers Association (MNRRA) and Birdhaven Residents Association (BRA), in partnership with the Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) and the City of Johannesburg.  The vision- to support the safety and sustainability of the park.  

Over the past 10 months, the Foundation has steadily made progress towards the improvement of the park’s infrastructure, upkeep and protection.  The signature programmes implemented include the installation of Cochrane ClearVu perimeter fencing, the provision of regular park guarding, rehabilitation of the park dam as well as regular park clean-ups, grass cutting, litter cleaning and waste-removal, which has served to augment the JCPZ scheduled maintenance programme. Community utilisation has increased exponentially, bolstered by events such as a “Zumbathon”, and joint, planned cleaning efforts with learners from surrounding schools, prior to the COVID-19 lockdown.  The work of the Foundation has been increasing in reach across far-flung geographies, with New York’s Central Park Conservancy offering to provide best-practice knowledge and guidance to the JEGPF.

Speaking at the time of the launch, City of Johannesburg Ward 74 Councillor, David Fisher said that “the park is classified as a flagship park, by the City and it is vital that we preserve and protect our open green spaces. The park plays an important part in preserving the ecology of the area considering that the Bird Park with its dam and wetland is home to a large variety of birds. This park also supports a lot of other wild life such as insects, frogs and small mammals.”

Chairperson of the Foundation, Sunil Geness said that “ to date 75% of the park perimeter fencing on the Northern side of the M1 has been concluded, but  the Foundation requires further funding support from park-users, Johannesburg residents, local and international businesses located in Johannesburg as well as local and global foundations, to meaningfully support the sustainability of the thirty six(36) hectare park, which essentially acts a giant lung to the city.  The additional donor funds will be utilized for the conclusion of payments for the current fencing and bolster the completion of the remaining 25% of the fencing project.” Geness concluded that “programmes of the JEGPF provide pragmatic mechanisms of achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the theme of World Environment Day 2020- time for nature- through modern urban park management practices.  The latter having been clearly demonstrated recently, when local residents and visitors flocked to the park as soon as COVID-19 lockdown level three (3) regulations took effect, in South Africa”.  

City of Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Councillor Mpho Moerane said that “the work undertaken by organizations like the James and Ethel Gray Park Foundation, were vital to the utility, safety and sustainability of our diverse biodiversity, and should be commended and supported by all stakeholders”. He added that “this year’s World Environment Day will be celebrated under the theme ‘Biodiversity’ to make a plea for urgent action to protect biodiversity.  It is also to put the spotlight on nature, with the emphasis on restoring the relationship between humans and nature.” 

Donations to the James and Ethel Gray Park Foundation NPC, can be made at NedbankAccount number, 1188780247, Branch Code 19660500, Melrose Arch Branch, Swift Code NEDSZAJJ, Reference your full name/business name and email your details to  info@jamesandethelgrayparkfoundation.org to receive your PBO certificate.  You can also find our snapscan details at: https://jamesandethelgrayparkfoundation.org/

About the James and Ethel Gray Park Foundation:

The Foundation is a Non-Profit Company(NPC) incorporated under certificate number 2019/037318/08 issued by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission(CIPC) under South Afrian Law and a South African Revenue Services(SARS) approved Public Benefit Organisation (PBO number 930066624). The Foundation has been established as an initiative of the Melrose North Residents and Ratepayers Association (MNRRA) and Birdhaven Residents Association (BRA), in partnership with the Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) and the City of Johannesburg. It is focused on the safety and sustainability of the James & Ethel Gray Park.