The City’s Recreation and Parks Department received a SASREA facility grading certificate for Erica Park which will set the tone for other facilities to follow. With this strict grading certificate the facility can now host events in excess of 2000 participants.

Last month the City's Community Service and Health Portfolio Committee visited recreation and parks facilities in order to better understand the challenges that facilities face when working to become compliant in terms of the South African Sports and Recreation Event Act, as well as to celebrate and experience Erica Park Sports Ground, which recently became the first community facility to receive a SASREA facility grading certificate.

The effects of the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act were promulgated for events in excess of 2000 people held at a stadium. The purpose of the Act is to place the ultimate responsibility of ensuring that measures are in place to ensure the physical safety and security of persons and property at large sport and recreation events.

The City’s Recreation and Parks Department is therefore responsible for ensuring that facilities within its basket of properties which are able to host events in excess of 2000 people are complaint. The department has several such facilities which need to meet the legal requirements to obtain relevant facility grading and approval as specified by the Act and issued by the mandated authority. The initial plan aligned 13 such facilities to the programme, with Erica Park Sports Ground being the first within the department’s programme to become compliant.

In order for a facility to become compliant and obtain a facility grading status, 15 pre-requisite and specified certificates need to be awarded by various authorities, varying from infrastructure and installations related certificates to safety and risk management certificates which collectively create a safe environment for big events, together with a mitigation plan to reduce the risk of possible disasters.

These certificates include a Structural Certificate/Report, a full set of Designs/Plans, an Occupancy Certificate, a Population Certificate, an Evacuation and Disaster Risk Plan, a Fire Safety Certificate, as well as Safety and Security, Electrical, Current Mechanical Compliance and Waste Management Certificates, among others.

All certificates must be valid at all times and be revised on an annual basis. This is to support an annual facility grading application process, which must be submitted months prior to the current grading certification expiring.

‘One of the biggest U/19 Soccer Tournaments is played at Erica Park with attraction from national and international clubs and spectators. This enhances the City’s position of ensuring that the facility is safe and compliant, and in the community for the community. The City followed an extensive and comprehensive set of processes, hard work and dedication, including building sound relationships with residing clubs and sports bodies to achieve such a low risk facility grading’, said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Service and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.

Erica Park has thus become the first facility to obtain such facility grading within the Recreation and Parks Department. It is the first community utilised facility to obtain such a facility grading within the metropolitan area. This certificate is of similar nature to that awarded to Cape Town Stadium, Athlone Stadium, Newlands Cricket Grounds which are built for purpose event facilities for high-profile events.

A lot of good work has been done at various of the other facilities; from roof repairs, structural repairs, water and sewerage related projects, electrical work as well as safety aspects to ensure our facilities are Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) compliant as an initial milestone, with further work in terms of the mitigation of disaster risk management. The milestone for the department is to get a further six facilities SASREA graded by the end of the 2022/23 financial year. This will ensure more facilities are OHS ready and compliant.

‘Over the last 24 months, we managed to achieve this coveted certificate. This was achieved with limited staff, limited access to resources but an eager team who took on these daunting tasks. This facility is now ready for the tournament of the year as teams play off for the opportunity to be considered for this event. The facility team are gearing themselves to ensure that all aspects of the event in terms of operations are adhered too and that people would have a pleasant and safe experience at Erica Park Sports grounds in Belhar,’ added Councillor van der Ross.

Source: City Of Cape Town