Words: Georgina Guedes
The picturesque avenues, the street cafe culture and the close-knit community are what make Parkhurst an ideal choice for young professionals and families. Media personality and radio presenter Melanie Walker, who lives in the area lives with her twin daughters, says she can’t imagine living anywhere else.
Property
Parkhurst is a small suburb located between Craighall Park, Parktown North and Greenside. Although it’s one of Joburg’s “Parks” suburbs, its smaller property sizes keep homes in the area more affordable than in the neighbouring areas. But its vibrant Fourth Avenue Strip attracts weekenders and tourists as well as locals, and Sixth Street is fast becoming a design and decor destination.
Melanie has lived in Parkhurst since 1976. In 1989, she bought the house where she spent her teenage years from her parents, and that’s still where she lives today – in “Little Chelsea” between First and Fifth streets. Even before she was a resident of the area, she went to Parkhurst Primary School because her mom’s best friend, who did the school lifts, lived in the area.
“Our house is one of the original old houses, built in 1931. My parents didn’t do much to it, and when I took it over, I changed it back to how it should have been and added bits and pieces here and there. It still has the yellowwood floors, pressed ceilings, original doorframes and skirting boards – which I sanded by hand myself,” she says.
While Parkhurst is a desirable address today, Melanie says she was outraged as a teenager when she was told that her family was moving there. “It was the dodgiest area. I used to tell people I lived in Greenside East!”
But Parkhurst has certainly come into its own, and a house that Melanie says was sold for R17,000 in 1976, just after her parents bought their house for R35,000, recently went for R3,5m. “I’ve never thought about living anywhere else,” she says. “I love the whole vibe.”
Schooling
Melanie is a single mom who shares her house with her twin daughters, who are both at Parktown High School for Girls. “The nice thing is that we have some of the best public schools in this area.”
These include Greenside Primary, Hyde Park High, Parktown Girls, Parktown Boys and the Parkview Junior and Senior schools. Melanie says even as you move further out, there are still great public schools in Northcliff, Fourways and Bryanston.
“Half the people I know have children at public schools. I’ve even met a lot of people who started out at private schools and then moved their kids into the local public school,” she says.
Of course, for parents who want to live in the area but send their children to private schools, Parkhurst is well positioned for access to The Ridge School, St Teresa’s, St Katharine’s School, Kingsmead College and even Auckland Park Preparatory School. There also alternative schools such as Kairos School of Inquiry and Japari School (for children with learning challenges).
Explore
Melanie says that the best thing about Parkhurst is that it’s 5km from anywhere. “I can go to town, to Sandton or to Cresta in no time at all. I also like to pop up to Linden. I love Linden.”
She enjoys the markets in the area – including the Rosebank Market on a Sunday and the Jozi Real Food Market at the Pirates Club. She also often participates in the parkrun at Delta Park on Saturdays.
Closer to her home, she loves walking along the spruit. She hasn’t forgotten her days as a Treasure Hunter and has found all the geocaching hot spots.
“I’ve found them all. I must actually put some more out,” she says. Although she finds it a bit chaotic, she sometimes heads down to the Parkhurst strip. “I go to Bottega, and don’t forget that Parkhurst is home to the Jolly Roger, which has great pizza.”
“I love Parkhurst’s little village vibe. There’s a really close-knit group of people who all know each other. We’ve got a sense of community here. It’s like going to a small village in Norfolk.”
Melanie Walker, resident
Eat:
- Craft: for comfort food with a twist
- Nice on 4th: for delicious breakfast and brunch meals
- Hudsons The Burger Joint: for burgers and craft beers
- Bistro Vine Restaurant: for provincial-style French cuisine
- Rockets Parkhurst: for pizza, pasta, steaks and much more
- Espresso Caffe & Bistro: a pet-friendly sidewalk cafe
- Coobs: for modern, globally inspired dishes
Hospitals:
- Netcare Milpark Hospital
- Netcare Rosebank Clinic
- Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre
- Netcare Park Lane Hospital
- Life Brenthurst Clinic
- Parkhurst Municipal Clinic
Do:
- Browse through the shops, African market and Sunday flea market at Rosebank Mall.
- Talk a stroll along the river at Delta Park, have a bite at the Delta Cafe, buy fresh vegetables and shop for furniture at Bamboo Palace.
- Enjoy healthy food in an outdoor setting at the Jozi Real Food Market on Saturdays.
- Take a leisurely stroll down by the spruit in Parkhurst, from the Sixth Street Park.
- Play a round of golf in gorgeous green surroundings at the Parkview Golf Course.
- Visit Zoo Lake to feed the ducks, take a walk or run and let the kids play on the jungle gyms.
