Parkhurst, Gauteng

Parkhurst
Parkhurst Parkhurst
Coordinates:26°8′18″S28°1′4″E
Country	South Africa
Province	Gauteng
Municipality	City of Johannesburg
Main Place	Johannesburg
Area
• Total	1.64 km2(0.63 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	4,851
• Density	3,000/km2(7,700/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
•Black African	20.4%
•Coloured	1.6%
•Indian/Asian	2.5%
•White	73.8%
• Other	1.7%
First languages(2011)
•English	71.0%
•Afrikaans	10.1%
•Zulu	4.0%
•Xhosa	2.1%
• Other	12.8%
Time zone	UTC+2(SAST)
Postal code(street)	2193
PO box	2120

Parkhurstis a small, dense northern suburb ofJohannesburg,Gauteng,of about 2000 households and 4000 residents. Forming part of the northern suburbs, Parkhurst is roughly bounded byParktown Northto the east, theBraamfontein Spruitto the west,Craighallto the north, and Greenside to the south.

Although it is mainly residential, there are two main commercial roads - 4th Avenue which has therestaurants,cafes and décor, design, antique and service shops; and 6th Street which is quickly becoming converted into a design, décor, art and small business area. Parkhurst is one of the city's mostwalkabledistricts and popular with residents for its street life andsidewalk cafes,with an atmosphere similar toGreensideandMelville.

History

Parkhurst was founded in 1904 by the African Realty Trust, founded by American born developer,I.W. Schlesinger,who developedBraamfonteinfarm into 2200 stands. As Parkhurst formed the far northern corner of the farm on the city's edge, Schlesinger decided to have a naming competition as a publicity stunt to bring attention to the area, which lagged behind more desirable areas likeParktownat the time. The competition turned out to the very successful attracting the attention ofLord Milnerand by 1906, the suburb became well known throughout theTransvaal Colonyas an emerging and desirable area.

About a third of the suburb was developed by the 1930s and it was completely developed afterWorld War II,with most housing dating from this era. Thegentrificationof the area started in the 1960s when the older houses in the southern section started to be renovated. This process continues to this day with many properties being re-modelled and renovated several times over. There is an activeresidents' association,the Parkhurst Residents and Business Owners Association (PRABOA), who try to preserve the suburb's village-like atmosphere.

Although erroneously included by Google Maps as part ofRandburg[1],Parkhurst has never been part of that area.

Amenities

Parkhurst is probably best known for its main commercial corridor along 4th Avenue. It is a popular tourist and weekend location for residents across Johannesburg.

4th Avenue (bordering Parkhurst Community Church) has become a small business hub with numerous small businesses opening on the street.

Verity Park is a Parkhurst attraction. The park was originally the home of the Parkhurst Soccer Club, however, the club moved in the 1970s. Adjacent to the park is the Parkhurst Petanque Club, where social games are played at weekends. Verity Park is also known as a dog haven and draws many residents wishing to walk their dogs.

Community

Despite its small size, Parkhurst is considered one of Johannesburg's more desirable suburbs. In 2010, it was ranked number 1 in Johannesburg by theDaily Maverick,citing its proximity to quality schools, dining, nightlife, shopping, location, green space, safety, and creative capital, among other aspects.Being one of the older suburbs in northern Joburg, Parkhurst also feature many historic residences with architecture including,Edwardian,Tudor Revivaland Cape Dutch.

External links

• Parkhurst Village Residents Association