Garden project honours business owners
THE memories and legacies of two Kuils River business owners are reflected in the recent addition to the community garden project which has finally taken shape on the fourth corner of an intersection
At the weekend, volunteers of the project were able to start work on the corner, bringing the total number to seven gardens started since February.
The recent addition was to honour the memories of the late real estate owner Jean Smith-Oosthuizen and butchery owner Terblanche Bosman.
Smith-Oosthuizen died in February after contracting Covid-19 and Bosman, who prior to his death had donated aloes to the garden project to commemorate Smith-Oosthuizen, who died two weeks ago following a heart operation.
Resident Wouter de Vos, who started the garden community project, said he was excited to see the initiative growing.
“It really is special that the garden taking shape on the fourth corner of the intersection can be done so in the memory of these two very important role-players in our community.
“There has been a positive change and overwhelming response from residents, with more gardens in Soneike and Amandelsig springing up,” he said.
De Vos was inspired to start the project earlier this year in hopes of making a meaningful and positive contribution to residents, and to have people pull together and take ownership of their spaces.
“Our social media following has grown which is very exciting as this is where all information is shared and residents get to see the work being done,” said De Vos.
Kuilsrivier Community Forum member Lizette Wilson said the reaction from the community was “unbelievable”.
“We are very excited about it. The idea in the end is to have the whole community involved where they identify spaces to clean up and to be beautified, pulling together as one,” said Wilson.
She said the maintenance of the gardens is “not cheap”. “But thanks to local businesses and residents in the area who have come onboard, they have sponsored and donated towards stones, plants, compost and mulch.
“Our last garden began taking shape in front of the ‘Blue House', as we call it now, and it was a bit of a headache as we did not know what we wanted to do there. The space had a lot of sand and overgrown weeds but we are happy with what is taking shape there, with more work planned for (tomorrow),” said Wilson.
To get involved with the project, contact De Vos on 084 503 6115.