Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

31 October 2024

4-minute read

Straddling the area between downtown Johannesburg and the surrounding suburbs, The Wilds, a previously notorious city park, now enjoys the gorgeous reputation of an “enchanted forest”, thanks to the work of James Delaney.

James moved into the neighbourhood some years ago and was looking for a place to walk his dog when he stumbled upon the “green wonderland” of The Wilds. People cautioned him about entering the ridges of The Wilds, a public space that had become unsafe and was mostly abandoned due to incidents of crime, but that did not deter him. James started taking short walks in and eventually ventured further in, noticing that the hundred-year old plants and magnificent trees of The Wilds were “overgrown”. He thus took it upon himself to start trimming, pruning, and de-weeding the area. Seeing how nature responded so quickly to his small efforts, James then got some of his friends involved in slowly but surely rehabilitating the park. “It’s amazing how little steps grow into a big journey,” he stated.

James did a lot of fundraising to get this massive 40-acre area up to spec again, forming a formal NPO along the way and getting assistance from corporate and individual donors. There were a number of challenges they encountered like no irrigation within the park which meant having to work with nature, maintaining the all-indigenous gardens, limited funding, and dealing with the city’s authorities. James also had to break a lot of rules in the process of transforming the park, and although the work was not easy, it was definitely rewarding.

Today, The Wilds offers approximately 6 kilometers of stone pathways and walking trails with cascading water features at various spots along the walkways and incredible views of the city. There are well-kept lawns to picnic on, with no alcohol and braaing allowed. There are also a hundred of James’ sculptures and 60 pieces of artwork by other artists. James and his team have created a multi-dimensional space with layers and layers of history and art and nature, unlike anything else in the city. Despite being “so close to the inner city, you’re really a world away,” said James, who still takes a walk through the park every day.

Listen to the full interview with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat on Sabahul Muslim.