Love Potch and JB Marks Municipality Unite to Transform Local Open Area into Vibrant Green Space

“There is a proverb that says it takes a village to raise a child, and in many cases, a park in town is almost like a child that we [as residents] adopt - and it certainly takes a village to raise a ‘child’ like this.”

October 2024 saw the launch of Love Potch, an initiative stemming from the larger Love Cities movement. Under the leadership of local resident, Arno van den Berg, the yellow shirts are becoming a beacon of hope and positivity for Potchefstroom. Their latest project saw them take hands with the JB Marks Municipality to transform an open area into a ‘green space’ within the community. As with any big project, there are certain measurements that need to be in place before any action can be taken, and there will always be individuals who dare ask the question ‘Is this even legal?’ We reached out to Arno to raise the concerns of local residents about this new initiative. 

The Love Potch Village

“We are in direct contact with the local municipality, the ward councillor, environmental organisations, and specialists in the field of Environmental Conservation to effectively manage (clean) and maintain the proposed park.” He further mentioned that this forms part of a broader movement within our town to rejuvenate and maintain our public area’s green spaces. These ‘green spaces’ that Arno keeps referring to are places where families, children and individuals can enjoy and explore the great outdoors. It is also one of the key objectives that create the basis of Love Cities.

Legal & Regulatory Compliance

Cleaning up a space and utilising it for the benefit of the community seems like a great idea, but it leaves the question - can any individual pick up a spade and start digging (not so much in the sense of the word)? 

“We are in full compliance of all necessary approvals to operate in the open areas in Potchefstroom and are in process to obtain formal approval from the JB Marks Municipality to manage, maintain and oversee different cleaning and clearing activities in and around town.” The process of gaining approval for a project of this magnitude is a tedious one, but it is worth it in the long run.

All the necessary permissions for the clean-up of this specific area have been obtained, and the Love Potch team is excited to invite community members to become involved in taking ‘ownership’ of these green spaces. Active projects are run throughout all of the local parks to ensure that communities become involved in these and other initiatives launched by Love Potch. The JB Marks Municipality and its respective, relevant departments are involved in these projects, and have been a great partner to the Love Potch team. To hear about the cohesiveness between an organisation and the local municipality is truly inspiring.

Environmental & Sustainability Considerations

A concerned resident reached out to us about this planned clean-up and transformation of the open area in Van Der Hoffpark, and one of the main concerns was the impact that the partial removal of the reeds would have on the bird and insect life. We raised this concern with Love Potch, to which they responded: 

“We draw from best practice models within our Love Cities network of partners, and work closely with environmental management specialists and organisations to ensure environmental sustainability, longevity and long-term environmental oversight and management.” As Arno mentioned later on, as with any project there are Environmental Impact Studies that need to be done before gaining approval. Furthermore, it should be noted that not all of the reeds will be removed, so the natural habitat of animals and organisms alike will not be completely destroyed.

Community Involvement & Social Impact

Another concern from the specific individual was the impact that this park would have on residents and the value of their property in the area, especially those who live in close proximity to the park. 

“One of the core principles of Love Cities, and Love Potch as a local partner, is active citizenship. We endeavor to include residents and citizens of different communities regarding any and all projects that might affect them. The goal is to create a society where individuals and organisations are involved in their local environments. Different community consultation sessions take place, events are held for public participation and feedback is actively encouraged to reach a united outcome-based goal.”

“It is well researched and supported that green area upliftment and rejuvenation initiatives in communities have a tremendous advantageous effect on many different aspects including but are not limited to: environmental benefits, biodiversity conservation and rehabilitation, storm water management, social and health benefits, economic development of the surrounding areas, property value increase, safety improvements and community engagement to name a few.”

Operational & Project Management

“Love Potch draws from best practice models as well as tried and tested approaches within our national network of partners to ensure project longevity and management. Long-term goals are always considered when implementing short-term activities.”

Residents can rest assured that there will not be bulldozers showing up to scrape the land and start building a mountain bike track over a weekend. The aim is to clean up the park and possibly lay out a small hiking trail for now. Yes, the bike track might come, but only at a much later stage. As the saying goes, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’.

Long-Term Sustainability and Financial Viability 

Finally, looking at the bigger picture, we asked what the sustainability of this project looks like - not only for Love Potch as an organisation, but also for the town and its residents. The aim of this project isn’t to accumulate funds. Finances are not the focus of Love Cities - if a project happens to generate some income, it’s a win, but otherwise, it’s most definitely not the goal as to why they do what they do. 

“Given the non-profit nature of Love Potch, finances generated through the organisation and donations will be directed towards project sustainability and channelled towards long-term project efficiency.” 

They are in it for the long run. “Working alongside the local municipality and professionals in the field enables Love Potch to actively drive long-term sustainability with short-term projects forming part of a bigger picture movement of holistic community development.” Fortunately, there is a strong relationship between the JB Marks Municipality and Love Potch, and it is this relationship that will grow with each project taken on together with one goal in mind - to change the narrative of our vibrant town. 

Call to Action

The message is simple: Become involved in these projects and initiatives. We simply cannot sit back and wait for something to happen or somebody else to do something. If we, as residents, want to see Potchefstroom as the thriving city it once was, it is our responsibility to take action to transform and leave this a much better place - not only for ourselves, but for the generations to come. 

If you have any questions or queries, want to volunteer during these projects, or you would like to make a contribution of any sort, feel free to contact Arno van den Berg at:  hello@lovepotch.org.za or on  076 571 8480

*All photos provided by Love Potch

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Johané van Dyk - Potchefstroom