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PARKTOWN BOYS’ OPENS NEW R4.6-MILLION SPORTS CENTRE One of Johannesburg’s long-established and most successful Monastic schools, Parktown Boys’ High School, has opened a new R4.6-million sports centre at the school on the Parktown Ridge. The centre offers, among other facilities, a fully-equipped gymnasium; a multi-purpose sports and physical education room; three full-size, fully-enclosed indoor cricket nets; three glass-backed squash courts; an eight-lane indoor target shooting range and three change rooms, two for men and one for women.
Deputy Headmaster, Brent Saunders, said the concept of a sports centre first arose in 2003 and school staff and ex-pupils began to seek funding for the project. In 2006 Johnny Copelyn, a Cape Town businessman, heard about the project. A Parktown old boy from the Matric class of 1967, Copelyn came forward and offered to fund the construction of the centre. “This was a most generous gesture which is deeply appreciated. Our sports centre will serve and assist the development of many thousands of boys over the years to come,” said Saunders. “Parktown consistently performs in the top five percent of boys’ schools, despite being a relatively small school in the Johannesburg environment.
The Sidney Klevansky Sports Centre – named after a former learner, educator and Vice Principal who served the school community for forty-five years - will enhance the sporting capability of our learners and underline our good academic and sporting reputation.” Other facilities within the centre include a function room opening out onto the school lawns, an outdoor entertainment area and rooms for a resident physiotherapist and a biokineticist, who will provide services to Parktown sportsmen who may require attention.
Rugby, hockey, cricket, water polo and squash teams will be allocated specific times to use the centre’s facilities. Saunders said Parktown is now well equipped also to host squash tournaments and target shooting competitions. The school has produced many provincial shottists over the years, one of whom is currently at the school, while the incumbent South African No 1 ranked Under-18 squash player is a Parktown pupil. “While other Johannesburg schools have similar facilities, the Sidney Klevansky Sports Centre is the only one with all of these facilities under one roof,” said Saunders. “In many ways it is a really significant boost for our school.”
The centre was designed by architect Greg de Bruyn and built by Velvori Construction owned by James de Bruyn, a parent at the school. Old Parktonian, Marco Geretto, provided the original architectural sketches. For additional information please contact: |
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