Nearly four years after the death of Anglican bishop emeritus Desmond Tutu, City of Cape Town is set to upgrade a park the cleric visited often near his home.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and the Archbishop Tutu Intellectual Property Trust announced the proposed upgrade of Lupin Park in Milnerton on Tuesday at an event attended by the Nobel prize winner’s widow, Leah.
Tutu died on December 26 2021.
According to the city, Lupin Park “was often frequented by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu and is on the doorstep of his family residence”.
Among the plans are an extensive children’s play area to “reflect the late Arch’s love of and work with children throughout his life, a reflective memorial garden, commemorative artwork, outdoor performance spaces, and a dog park”.
Hill-Lewis said he hoped the upgraded park would become a symbol to remind Capetonians of the values Tutu and Leah lived by. “Mama Leah Tutu and the Arch lived across the road from this park for many years, and Mama Leah still does. I am told they loved to spend quiet moments here,” said Hill-Lewis.
“In developing and renaming this park, we aim to not only create a beautiful and vibrant space for the Milnerton community and visitors to the area, but also to remember and promote the beautiful values by which the Tutus have lived their lives: kindness, tolerance and justice. We invite all residents to take part in the public participation process to ensure continued community involvement in the park’s development.”
Hill-Lewis said the project was initiated through engagements between the city, the Royal Ascot Master Property Owners' Association, the Milnerton Central Ratepayers' Association and the Archbishop Tutu IP Trust. “Together, these organisations proposed the development of a memorial garden in Lupin Park dedicated to Archbishop Desmond Tutu,” he said Hill-Lewis. “Local art initiatives will be incorporated into the park's design, including a public art competition and construction phases.”
Dr Mamphela Ramphele, chair of the Archbishop Tutu IP Trust, waxed lyrical about the initiative.
“The most wonderful thing about this project is that it was initiated by the people of Milnerton themselves, through their ratepayers’ organisation,” said Ramphele. “It is an authentic local tribute of love and respect for the Tutu family from the community they have been part of for nearly 30 years.
“The only condition the trust imposed on the project was that it be thrifty; the Arch would not have wanted the city to incur a great expense.”
Cape Town’s historic old Granary Building in the CBD was recently renamed Desmond and Leah Tutu House, recognising its long-standing role as the headquarters of the Tutu Foundation.
Other tributes include Archbishop Tutu's face, along with President Nelson Mandela’s, being prominently displayed on the civic centre as a lasting feature of the city’s skyline. In 1998, the archbishop was granted the freedom of the city, the highest civic distinction.
TimesLIVE
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