Today, the Wilds in Johannesburg is one of the city’s favourite green community havens. It’s a far cry from its time as a neglected spot that people wouldn’t visit without a very good reason. Now, the space is celebrating its 100th Birthday and its journey to one of the country’s best-loved parks:
Johannesburg, South Africa (06 November 2024) — The Wilds is celebrating its 100th birthday, a journey that’s seen many turns and twists to get it to the beloved park it is today.
It’s not a marker of age. It’s a celebration of endurance, community effort and the understanding that green havens are well worth putting the time into.
For those who only know the Wilds as a great spot for dog walking, picnics or exploring a gorgeous green side to Johannesburg, it might come as a surprise to learn that this was not always The Wilds’ story.
Over a decade ago, this was a place people would look at you sideways for visiting! Neglected, overgrown and rampant with despair, this was not your neighbourhood-friendly activity hotspot.
That was until James Delaney moved nearby and needed to take his dog Pablo for a walk.
James soon made it his mission to transform the Wilds to a place the community would adore. It took immense effort, a lot of care and art to show people that The Wilds need no longer be a place to fear.
Years later and James’ adopted park is considered one of Joburg’s top parks. It’s featured on an array of must-do itineraries for those visiting Joburg, is the ‘it’ spot for spending time with family or alone outdoors, stands proudly as a cultural meeting-ground and is the blueprint for what other green spaces can become.
But even though all this transformation took place fairly recently in The Wilds’ history book, it is actually a much older part of Joburg that boasts a century.
In the 20s as a grassland, it was donated to the Johannesburg Town Council where it would go on to become a new park. By the 30s, it boasted a plethora of indigenous flora and became a hugely attractive park for people to visit in the ever-developing city.
By the 1980s, it even became a National Monument!
But, in the latter part of the 80s and through the 90s, crime became The Wilds biggest threat.
One TJ de Klerk tried to protect the park in the 2000s by lobbying to fence it and install security, but City Parks is said to have worn his efforts down over time.
It was only when James and his dog Pablo found the space that the most impressive part of history would begin, and a transformation worth 100 years began. You can read the full story about the Wilds’ recent lore here.
To celebrate its 100th birthday, Friends of the Wilds has many activities planned for Joburgers to enjoy. Think park tours, biodiversity gardening, mosaic walks, art tours, meditation, book swops and activities for the kids!
To learn more about what’s on for The Wilds’ 100th birthday celebrations and keep up with the park, you can visit Friends of the Wilds here.
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