The City of Cape Town celebrated the World Children’s Day on Nov 20, 2024 and officially opened the Dome Education Classroom at Green Point Park. The Dome Classroom forms a part of the Experiential Education Garden (EEG) of the city.
The classroom is on the edge of the park and will serve as an outdoor environmental education space for learners and a safe place for visitors to immerse themselves in the nature.
On the prestigious occasion Member of the Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment – Alderman Eddie Andrews addressed the group along with Subcouncil 16 Ward Councillor – Nicola Jowell and said that the opening ceremony today featured an enjoyable cultural performance by the Rieldans Group from Dr. Van der Ross Primary School in Belhar.
Andrews added that he believes that the EEG includes the new Dome structure, the exhibition and planned learner activities will reconnect the children, who are living in a city with the heritage and the environment in a creative and fun way.
According to him, the Rieldans performance by the learners from the Dr. Van der Ross Primary Ross Primary School was also awe inspiring. “It gave me a great joy to see that the children are preserving the heritage. I trust this new facility will assist in teaching the children more about the local history and its people,” said Eddie Andrews.
Marking the opening of the Dome Education Classroom, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth – Alderman James Vos said that the cultural structure in parks play a significant role in connecting people with nature and preserving historical and ecological heritage.
James Vos stated, “We are firmly committed to maintain and improve the Green Point Urban Park, as we are also responsible to manage the site by the Strategic Assets Department within my directorate. We also ensure that there remains a space for communities to learn and have fun.”
Furthermore, the reference of the Dome design is inspired by the Khoi tribe and pays tribute to their heritage, considering it as a First Nations group. The current exhibition outlines the design and development of the Dome and EEG.
The next phase of the initiative will entail the development of an exhibition and educational programmes that address the history and heritage of the Khoi. These components will connect to the present Khoikraal and information about the biodiversity that showcases garden in the Green Point Park.
Notably, this is for the first time, happening at the international level that the Three-dimensional mass timber dome is going to be built in South Africa.
Mass timber is the newest and the greenest system of carbon conscious construction in the world today and the dome has been amongst the one of the catalysts for accelerating the construction in South Africa.