Adventure & Scavenger Hunt Saturday 15 November 2025
On Saturday, 15 November, we had an amazing event at the TrimPark with 30 children enjoying a variety of fun and educational activities in nature. Several children from the Bramley orphange were sponsored by community members.
One of the most popular activities was walking and balancing on the fallen tree trunks, giving the kids an exciting way to connect physically and mentally with the environment.
Kids collected water from the river and measured its alkalinity with assistance from Dina van Vuuren. They also had to find their whistles hanging in a tree, and discovered an amazing tree cave where each child found a beautiful red apple with their name on it.
The children crossed two wooden bridges, challenging themselves not to hold on to the sides, fostering balance and confidence. At the vleiland, they counted bird nests and recorded their findings on scorecards before enjoying some Kettey target shooting supervised by Mari Joubert a kettey champion herself.
The hanging rope for climbing and swinging was another favorite activity.
This wonderful event was the brainchild of Anne-Marie Sparg, who organized it with the valuable help of Dou Kleefstra of Groenkloof. Johan Billman of Blue Crane Restaurant crafted the wooden swing and installed the ropes.
Anne-Marie hopes to find a donor who will contribute a Clearvu fence to protect the park. Such a fence would allow the ropes and other play items to remain safely in place, enabling regular use of the park.
This protection would support future investments to create cement or wooden pathways to help elderly visitors comfortably enjoy the space.
With the Optima college for the blind and several old age homes nearby, the community deserves to fully enjoy this precious nature reserve in the city.
Community heroes like Dou Kleefstra from Groenkloof played a major role in the event. Dou cleared trails through long grass, restored a wooden bridge railing with his friend Mr Swanepoel, and marked the adventure course with whitewash.
We are grateful for Johan Billman’s donation of hotdog rolls and Neville Smith of NSSS (Nev Smith Swim Squad) donation of water for the children.
We also thank Dirk Kotze and his team from the ProShield Security Company, who ensured our safety by patrolling the perimeter with one of their dogs, creating a secure environment for all.
It was a day filled with adventure, learning, and joy as children explored and connected with nature right here in the heart of the city.
