On Tuesday, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis made the announcement of renaming Lupin Park after Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Leah Tutu. (Marvin Charles/News24)
- The City of Cape Town and Archbishop Tutu Intellectual Property Trust announced the proposed renaming and upgrade of Lupin Park in Milnerton, Cape Town, after Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
- Lupin Park was often visited by the late archbishop and is near his family home.
- Tutu died in December 2021 at the age of 90.
The City of Cape Town and Archbishop Tutu Intellectual Property Trust have announced the proposed renaming of Lupin Park in Milnerton, Cape Town, after the late Arch.
On Tuesday, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis made the announcement with the Arch’s widow, Leah Tutu in attendance as the guest of honour, the mayoral committee member for community services and health Patricia van der Ross, and the chairperson of the Archbishop Tutu IP Trust, Dr Mamphela Ramphele.
Lupin Park was often frequented by the late archbishop and is located on the doorstep of his family home.
Tutu died in December 2021, aged 90.
Among the proposed upgrade plans to the park are an extensive children’s play area to reflect the late Arch’s love of and work with children throughout his life, a reflective memorial garden, commemorative artwork, outdoor performance spaces, and a dog park.
Local art initiatives will be incorporated into the park’s design, including a public art competition.
A proposal will further be put to the public regarding the renaming of the park in honour of Tutu’s legacy, with the upgrade aiming to enhance this public space and create a lasting tribute to his invaluable contributions to the city, South Africa, and the world.
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Hill-Lewis said the Tutus lived over the road from the park, and Leah still lived there.
“I am told they loved to spend some quiet moments here. In developing and renaming this park, we aim to not only create a beautiful and vibrant space for the Milnerton community and visitors to the area but also to remember and promote the beautiful values by which the Tutus have lived their lives: kindness, tolerance and justice,” he added.
A public participation process will be undertaken, and Hill-Lewis invited all residents to take part in the process to ensure continued community involvement in the park’s development.
The Lupin Park project was initiated through engagements between the City, Royal Ascot Master Property Owners Association, Milnerton Central Ratepayers Association and Archbishop Tutu IP Trust.
The organisations proposed the development of a memorial garden in Lupin Park dedicated to Tutu.
Ramphele said the “most wonderful thing” about this project was it was initiated by the people of Milnerton themselves through their ratepayers’ organisation.
She said:
It is an authentic local tribute of love and respect for the Tutu family from the community they have been part of for nearly 30 years. The only condition the Trust imposed on the project was that it be thrifty.
“The Arch would not have wanted the City to incur a great expense. We are very grateful to Mayor Hill-Lewis for his enthusiastic leadership of the project,” she added.
Earlier this year, the historic old Granary Building in the Cape Town CBD was renamed to the Desmond and Leah Tutu House in honour of the space being the headquarters of the Tutu Foundation for many years.
Other previous honours include the emblazoning of Tutu’s face, alongside that of President Nelson Mandela, on the city’s Civic Centre as a permanent feature of the CBD skyline.
In 1998, the Archbishop was awarded the Freedom of the City, the highest possible civic honour.