City consults public on Herzlia sports field access

The now publicly accessible sports field leased by United Herzlia Schools (UHS) may soon be closed to the public either partially or totally, with the outcome awaiting a decision by the City of Cape Town. 

“The field serves the United Herzlia Schools network of five schools from pre-primary to matric and about 1 400 pupils,” UHS Executive Director Andries van Renssen told the SA Jewish Report. “As lessee, the school carries full responsibility for maintenance, municipal services, operational management, and safeguarding of the facility in accordance with the lease.” 

The future of the sports field situated above the City Bowl will be finalised after a formal public participation process now taking place, following a proposal by the City of Cape Town to amend the lease governing the municipal land and regulate general public access. 

The fenced field, which lies within Van Riebeeck Park, has for years been used both for Herzlia’s organised school sport and informally by residents for walking, running, and exercising their dogs. 

A recent notice about proposed access changes sparked strong reactions from some regular users, while the school has stressed its legal and safeguarding responsibilities as the lessee responsible for maintaining the facility. The City has opened a 30-day window for written submissions, and as yet, no final decision has been taken. 

Van Renssen said the land remained municipal property, and that the discussions related only to the leased sports ground, not to Van Riebeeck Park itself, which remained open to the public. 

Herzlia approached the City for clarity on the lease after identifying what it described as contradictory provisions requiring the school both to secure the premises when not in use, and to allow unrestricted public access. The City’s review of the lease led to the current consultation. 

Ward 77 councillor Francine Higham said the agreement was a standard social lease in which the City charged a nominal rental while the lessee took on the costs and responsibilities of maintaining the facility. She said increased public use during sports activities had created “operational and safety considerations”, but stressed that the outcome hadn’t been predetermined. 

“To ensure that community views directly inform the outcome, a formal public participation process has opened for a period of 30 days,” she said, encouraging residents to submit comments and proposals. 

Higham said she had also asked the City’s property transactions department to explore the possibility of managed public access during times when the field wasn’t required for organised sport. 

In a statement sent to parents, Van Renssen and Gary Davidson, UHS board chairperson, wrote that Herzlia had invested heavily in the grounds over many years, including more than R2.4 million in maintenance and related costs in 2025, and about R6.6 million over the past three years. 

The statement emphasised that the school’s obligation was to ensure that the facility remained “safe and appropriate for pupils, staff, and authorised users”, and that organised school sport took place in a supervised environment. 

Davidson and Van Renssen also pointed to Herzlia’s long history on the site. It leased the land in the 1960s, built the sports fields on what was then a rocky mountainside, and continues to make the facility available for scheduled use by other schools and sporting bodies. 

Residents who use the field regularly say consultation will give them an opportunity to put their views on record. Charles Evison, a community member who often walks his dogs on the field, described the space as one of the few fenced and well-lit areas in the neighbourhood where people felt comfortable exercising after dark. 

Another regular user said the field brought together families, runners, and informal sports groups and that most users respected the grounds and cleaned up after their pets. 

She regularly walks her dogs there, and said the field offered a rare combination of safety and open space in the City Bowl. “I’ve always enjoyed taking my dogs to the field because they get great exercise there, and it’s safe and clean,” she said. 

“Green spaces are so precious and so good for all of us, and it would be a real pity to prevent people from accessing such an enriching space,” she said. She said most users cared about the condition of the grounds and that many even picked up after other people’s pets because they knew schoolchildren used the field. 

Some have questioned whether public access formed part of the original understanding of the lease, and have suggested that the community would be willing to help address maintenance challenges if a shared model were adopted. 

Van Renssen said UHS had engaged with members of the surrounding community over time and installed signage, at the City’s request, asking dog owners to keep pets on a leash, clean up after them, and respect the playing surface. 

He said damage to the turf and irrigation infrastructure and safety incidents involving maintenance staff were documented and submitted to the City as part of the lease review. 

Van Renssen said the school remained “committed to constructive engagement”, and supported participation through the City’s formal channels. 

For Herzlia families, the field is central to school life, hosting daily practices, matches, and co-curricular sport across age groups. For many residents, it’s a valued green space in an increasingly dense urban area. 

The public participation process, now open, is intended to weigh these competing needs before any changes are finalised. With submissions still to be received and assessed, the future of the field remains undecided.