Delta Park, Johannesburg

Delta Park, Johannesburg

Delta Park is a rather large green lung in northern Johannesburg that lies nestled in amongst the suburbs of Victory park, Blairgowrie and Craighall Park. Whilst always popular with residents and their dogs, the park earned a fair amount of bad press at one stage and was regarded as only safe to do in groups. However, with the wonderful cycle paths available and the Delta Users Committee's frequent walks through the park, there is every reason to visit this neck of the woods.

Delta Park is also often used for events, and parts of it combine to form Trefoil Park, a girl guide and scout camp is alive with activity during the school term. The Delta Environmental Centre, which consults and educates on matters environmental, has its home here too. They are an independedt non-profit organisation that offers a series of courses and curriculum-based programmes for school children with the aim of empowering and helping them live greener lives. They have an auditorium and function room for hire – perfect for workshops.

The park itself includes the Florence Bloom Bird Sanctuary, a 7.5 hectare sanctuary that is also the oldest bird sanctuary in the city, even if it did become a little rundown and neglected. But a recent injection of cash allowed refencing, the building of two hides and a programme to deal with invasive vegetation. You can see up to 250 species of bird right in the middle of the city here, including a number of water birds, the odd kingfisher (if you're really quiet), bishops, weavers, and owls. There is an active move on the part of the park to attract owls, and their website includes diagrammatic aids to making your own owl box.

There is also a recycling depot.