{"id":38880,"date":"2025-08-19T07:41:33","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T07:41:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/?p=38880"},"modified":"2026-01-26T12:04:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T12:04:08","slug":"invest-in-the-development-of-a-connected-urban-park-in-mbombela-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/featured\/invest-in-the-development-of-a-connected-urban-park-in-mbombela-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Invest in the development of a connected urban park in Mbombela, South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"dropcap dropcap2\">T<\/span>he three foundations of the initiative are existing natural elements (including the Nels and Crocodile Rivers and the Lowveld Botanical Garden), an established, managed urban area and a substantial wild \u201cheart\u201d. The area already boasts diverse habitats, wetlands and unique flora, together with riverine and sensitive environmental areas.<\/p>\n<h4>Vision<\/h4>\n<p>To create a safe, future-fit green asset founded on strong partnerships, promoting conservation, social cohesion and cultural vibrancy that drives progress through integration, entrepreneurship and dialogue. The GRBI will create safe corridors that separate human and vehicular traffic, establishing a more human-friendly and healthier urban environment.<\/p>\n<h4>Progress<\/h4>\n<p>A Non-Profit Corporation (NPC) has been registered. A board of directors with advisory professional experts has been established. Funding has been made available by Halls Properties and Riverside CID.<\/p>\n<p>Clearing and cleaning of alien vegetation has been undertaken and walkways and rest spots are planned. Sustainable options for water supply and treatment, energy and green waste are being developed. A professional team has been appointed.<\/p>\n<h3>The development concept<\/h3>\n<h5><strong>Conserving<\/strong> the existing natural flora by:<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li>Eradicating alien invasive species<\/li>\n<li>Maintaining and cleaning green areas<\/li>\n<li>Building awareness and understanding<\/li>\n<li>Creating a business case for green spaces<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><strong>Connecting<\/strong> the green areas to each other and the urban offerings of Riverside by:<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li>Creating walk-ways, cycling and running paths<\/li>\n<li>Establishing \u201cpearls\u201d at intervals along the network for rest and relaxation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><strong>Activating<\/strong> the \u201cheart\u201d to encourage outdoor activities through:<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li>Mountain biking, running and walking trails<\/li>\n<li>Rock climbing, canopy exploration and adventure racing<\/li>\n<li>Education and environmental centres and entertainment facilities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_38897\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-38897\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-38897\" src=\"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Lowveld_National_Botanical_Garden_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"507\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Lowveld_National_Botanical_Garden_2.jpg 1265w, https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Lowveld_National_Botanical_Garden_2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Lowveld_National_Botanical_Garden_2-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Lowveld_National_Botanical_Garden_2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Lowveld_National_Botanical_Garden_2-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Lowveld_National_Botanical_Garden_2-696x392.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Lowveld_National_Botanical_Garden_2-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Lowveld_National_Botanical_Garden_2-746x420.jpg 746w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-38897\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lowveld National Botanical Garden, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons &amp; SANBI *<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Riverside Reserve<\/h3>\n<p>Within the GRBI lies the Riverside Reserve. The plan states that the GRBI and the Riverside Reserve must be sustainable in their own right and cross-subsidise non-revenue generating activities.<\/p>\n<p>Riverside Reserve comprises the following thematic offerings: an arts and culture centre; gallery and outdoor art; exhibition space; performing-arts theatre; craft production and retail outlet; environmental education centre; open-air classroom; reptile centre and lab; wildlife\/bird rehabilitation facilities; Roots for Shoots (Jane Goodall Foundation); meditation garden, yoga\/exercise facilities; wedding\/party\/event venue; multi-use sports facilities, outdoor gym and other exercise\/play facilities; picnic and braai facilities.<\/p>\n<h4>Environmental Education Art and Culture (EEAC)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-38894\" src=\"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GRBI-logo.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"227\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GRBI-logo.png 300w, https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GRBI-logo-150x114.png 150w, https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GRBI-logo-80x60.png 80w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>It is proposed that facilities be established to support the creative industries.<\/p>\n<p>Suggestions include a visual arts gallery, an artist-in-residency programme, a sculpture garden, a craft-retail market, a craft-training venue and a performing arts theatre.<\/p>\n<p>The total estimated budget for the development of the concept of Environmental Education Art and Culture is R112-million, including professional fees.<\/p>\n<h4>Contact<\/h4>\n<p>Interested investors are encouraged to contact the project team here:<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wpcf7 no-js\" id=\"wpcf7-f30007-o1\" lang=\"en-ZA\" dir=\"ltr\" data-wpcf7-id=\"30007\">\n<div class=\"screen-reader-response\"><p role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\"><\/p> <ul><\/ul><\/div>\n<form action=\"\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38880#wpcf7-f30007-o1\" method=\"post\" class=\"wpcf7-form init\" aria-label=\"Contact form\" novalidate=\"novalidate\" data-status=\"init\">\n<fieldset class=\"hidden-fields-container\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7\" value=\"30007\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_version\" value=\"6.1.5\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_locale\" value=\"en_ZA\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_unit_tag\" value=\"wpcf7-f30007-o1\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_container_post\" value=\"0\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_posted_data_hash\" value=\"\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_recaptcha_response\" value=\"\" \/>\n<\/fieldset>\n<p><label> Your Name<br \/>\n<span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-name\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-required\" autocomplete=\"name\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" value=\"\" type=\"text\" name=\"your-name\" \/><\/span> <\/label>\n<\/p>\n<p><label> Your Email<br \/>\n<span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-email\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-email wpcf7-validates-as-required wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-email\" autocomplete=\"email\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" value=\"\" type=\"email\" name=\"your-email\" \/><\/span> <\/label>\n<\/p>\n<p><label> Subject<br \/>\n<span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-subject\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-required\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" value=\"\" type=\"text\" name=\"your-subject\" \/><\/span> <\/label>\n<\/p>\n<p><label> Your Message (optional)<br \/>\n<span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-message\"><textarea cols=\"40\" rows=\"10\" maxlength=\"2000\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-textarea\" aria-invalid=\"false\" name=\"your-message\"><\/textarea><\/span> <\/label>\n<\/p>\n<p><input class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-submit has-spinner\" type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" \/>\n<\/p><div class=\"wpcf7-response-output\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<p>* Lowveld National Botanical Garden image source: <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lowveld_National_Botanical_Garden\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lowveld_National_Botanical_Garden<\/a><br \/>via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sanbi.org\/gardens\/lowveld\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.sanbi.org\/gardens\/lowveld\/<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Greater Riverside Biodiversity Initiative (GRBI) presents a unique opportunity to develop a connected urban park within the City of Mbombela, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":38893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,28,29,101,48,1841,64,57,560,20,611],"tags":[1472,1577,1150,1110],"class_list":{"0":"post-38880","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-featured","8":"category-investment-projects","9":"category-leisure-travel-tourism","10":"category-media-entertainment","12":"category-mpumalanga-economic-growth-agency-mega","13":"category-professional-services","14":"category-property-real-estate","15":"category-provincial-focus","16":"category-retail","17":"category-trending","18":"tag-arts-and-culture","19":"tag-biodiversity","20":"tag-sustainable-development","21":"tag-urban-renewal"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38880"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38880\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39086,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38880\/revisions\/39086"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalafricanetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}