Closure of Herzlia Sports Ground rile up Vredehoek residents

Residents in Vredehoek and Devil’s Peak are split following the closure of the Herzlia High School sports ground for public use, with some defending the decision as necessary to protect learners and infrastructure, while others argue it represents the loss of a valued green space in an increasingly densified city.

The portion of the field leased to United Herzlia Schools was recently closed after a lease review by the City of Cape Town. Although the adjacent Van Riebeeck Park remains open to the public, the fenced sports field had become a popular space for dog walkers, families and residents seeking a safe, enclosed environment.

During a visit to Van Riebeeck Park this week, dog owners could be seen exercising their pets, many carrying poop bags and keeping dogs on leashes.

Dushanka Aldera, owner of a small Italian Greyhound, said she has been using the sports field for about 10 years.

“I don’t want to be one of the people that says no, my dog doesn’t poo on the field. He does, but we pick it up. We never experienced any other altercations with other dogs. There are holes, so that can be something to address,” she said.

For Aldera, the fenced-off nature of the sports ground was the key drawcard.

“The reason why we use the sports field is because it’s fenced off, the dogs can’t run, it gets locked. It’s safer. Finding that going up the mountain in Deer Park is no longer safe. Van Riebeeck Park is mainly used for picnics and children playing, we try to be considerate. We will be really sad if they have to close it down.”

Another long-time resident, who has walked her dog in the area morning and afternoon for over a decade, said she was shocked by the reasons cited for the closure.

“In the 10 years I have been walking here, morning and afternoon, I have never seen people behave irresponsibly when walking their dogs in the park or the sports ground. I also have a child who plays sports on the ground at Herzlia, and I haven’t seen poop or holes in the ground. I think the City is talking sh*t and are full of sh*t. If there was a problem why didn’t they just opt to put up better signage? I am sure if people were aware they would put a stop to it?”

However, not all residents believe the closure is unjustified.

One local resident said dog walkers must accept some accountability.

“At the end of the day the ground belongs to the City but is rented by the school, so it was never the residents’ to begin with. It’s just a pity that it had to come down to this.”

Resident Lisa Malcoms said inconsiderate behaviour may have contributed to the outcome.

“If everyone was considerate and well mannered they wouldn’t need the expense of signage and fences and the loss to those who do behave. It was after all the safest and prettiest space to lie down on beautiful green lawns with your doggies and kiddies and gaze up at our most magnificent amphitheatre. At least we have Eco Park. Not as safe or as lush, but it’s the only public place in Vredehoek and Devil’s Peak where you can see the whole amphitheatre from the same spot.”

Brent Moore, meanwhile, believes the process lacked transparency and adequate consultation.

“This happened too quick, everything happened too quick, without proper consultation even. Look, I understand the frustration, but for people like myself who are law-abiding citizens and who use the field when my kids play sports and we happen to bring our dog with, to now suffer because of one or two owners?

“With the City’s densification drive, it becomes increasingly important that we reaffirm and protect access to our public open spaces for the continued benefit of all its residents. This field is a place of leisure that continues to be enjoyed by the young and elderly alike. To remove access is to remove the rights of City residents and ratepayers,” he said.

In response to the criticism, Andries van Renssen, Executive Director of United Herzlia Schools, said the school did not request the closure but had approached the City to review certain contradictions in the lease agreement.

“The school approached the City of Cape Town to review certain clauses within the lease agreement, as there were contradictions between provisions requiring the lessee to secure and safeguard the premises when unoccupied, and clauses permitting unrestricted public access when not in scheduled use,” he said.

He added that following its independent review, the City issued the public notice regarding closure of the portion leased by the school.

Van Renssen said that over the past two years the school documented and submitted evidence of repeated damage to the playing surface caused by dogs digging holes, dog faeces left on the fields, damage to irrigation infrastructure including exposed and broken sprinklers, and damage to the cricket pitch during school sporting activities.

CCTV footage recorded incidents of damage to the clubhouse interior, and three incidents were reported involving dogs attacking maintenance staff, with one staff member requiring hospital treatment.

“The school has maintained the field in accordance with its lease obligations and has made substantial financial investments to ensure the facility remains functional and safe,” he said, adding that expenditure in 2025 alone exceeded R2.4 million.

He stressed that the sports ground is a leased sporting facility restricted to organised sporting activities, and that the adjacent Van Riebeeck Park remains open and accessible to the public.

As the debate continues, the closure has reignited broader concerns about access to green space in central Cape Town particularly in high-density neighbourhoods where safe, enclosed recreational areas are limited.

For some, the decision protects a school’s obligation to safeguard its leased facility. For others, it marks the quiet loss of a shared community space that balanced safety, scenery and accessibility a space where dogs ran freely, children played sport, and residents paused to gaze up at the slopes of Devil’s Peak.

The City did not respond by deadline.

[email protected]

Weekend Argus