Multipurpose centre opened in White location
The sport- and community multicentre in White Location was opened by Knysna Executive Mayor Elrick van Aswegen on Friday 22 October.
The facility can accommodate the most popular sporting codes and will act as a hub for hosting youth development and community programs.
Sporting fraternities can now make use of the synthetic grass playing field with floodlights, indoor sports court and locker rooms. The 1000m² multipurpose centre also makes classrooms, recreational facilities, a youth café and boardroom facilities available from where youth and other social development projects can be hosted.
“Participation in team sports not only teaches valuable life lessons, but it is also one of the most influential factors when we talk about ways in which we can keep our children off the streets, out of gangs and away from drugs,” Van Aswegen said on Friday. “This centre gives our young people that opportunity. It also presents our local sporting teams with a training and playing field that rivals those of provincial and professional teams. This centre also allows for the development and upskilling programs, and many other community and charitable projects to be run from the indoor facilities”.
The project was funded through the Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant (NDPG) from National Treasury and amounted to R60,487,982.40. Council resolved to build the multipurpose centre in May 2016 and, after funding had been applied for and approved, civils works kicked off in 2017. Construction followed in various phases which were affected and delayed by the global pandemic and national lockdown. The centre was completed earlier this year.
“Social cohesion is an integral part of any community,” Van Aswegen said. “As this modern, state of the art facility is intended to benefit all of Knysna’s people, it is sure to bring our communities together – from here and throughout the entire greater Knysna area. Thank you to the people of Ward 4 for your patience during the construction period, and for your part in looking after your brand new, world-class facility.
Please continue to do so, and make the most of the opportunities this centre brings. May the White Location Multipurpose Centre provide the power to unite, enable innovation and inspire change for many years to come.”
#inclusive #innovative #inspired