above from left to right: Pauline McConney (Head City Parks Cape Town), Rudi Riek (Fund Administrator), Charl Marais (supervisor City parks),
Keith Hartnick (City Parks), Cllr Dave Bryant (Chairperson : Economic Development, Environment and Spacial Planning & Ward Councillor Ward 77)
The Film industry Fund allocates funds received from voluntary contributor production companies to three main categories, 50% goes to the Ward in which filming takes place, 35% is allocated to a communal fund and 15% is used for administration. The Jungle Gym built in the Upper Leeuwen street Park in the Bo Kaap this week which cost R34 235,38 was built on the recomendation of Ward Councillor Dave Bryant and was allocated out of Ward 77’s budget.
“As you would know there are many film shoots, commercials etc shot in the historic neighbourhood of Schotsche-Kloof (or ‘Bo-Kaap’ as it is commonly known). This area has traditionally been home to a working-class community and as such many of the public open spaces have not been as well maintained as some of the other parts of the ward. The City is working hard to change this though and over the past few years I have invested a great deal of ward allocation funding into the ongoing upliftment of local parks and public open spaces.
One of the greatest success stories has been the rejuvenation of the Upper Leeuwen Street Park which has gone from being a drug and crime filled dustbowl to a beautiful and functional park with a soccer pitch, new trees green grass and irrigation. Most of the old play equipment has been repainted and fixed up but the park is crying out for another piece of equipment. The City currently deals with a contractor that supplies fantastic wooden jungle gyms and we have had these sponsored in some of the other parks across the CBD. It is high time that the Bo-Kaap also had one. The wooden jungle gyms are very good for children’s development and tend to be safer than the metal ones” Cllr Dave Bryant.
The Film Industry Fund which has only been in operation for one season is already changing people’s lives in addition to being a catalyst which is changing the community’s perception of our industry. If your company is not a contributor to this fund we would like to strongly encourage you to become a part of this worthwhile project.
