Dryden Street Primary School unveils new playground funded by Otto Foundation
At the ribbon cutting ceremony, from left is Dryden Street Primary School principal, Stanton Smith, with Otto Foundation chairperson, Zephne Ladbrook, along with the school pupils.
Image: Wesley Ford
Dryden Street Primary School unveiled its new Grade R playground on Tuesday, January 27.
This playground was made possible for the Salt River- based school by the Otto Foundation, which raised over R300 000 to complete the playgroundm, which sports a new jungle gym, a sliding board, a sand pit, a small road safety track for bikes and scooters, an outside blackboard for outdoor lessons, and a common area where children can enjoy their meals during intervals.
Dryden Street principal, Stanton Smith, said the school is ecstatic and filled with joy to have this new playground. “We hope that every child who plays in this area will be happy and enjoy all the growth and prosperity that this playground will offer,” he said.
“You have touched many schools in the area; you are doing a human duty to the children of this country,” he said.
The Otto Foundation has an office in District Six, which helps under-resourced schools to set up libraries, run reading programmes, and help build playgrounds.
Otto Foundation project manager, Kristina Miller, said it brings their organisation a lot of joy to see happy children in beautiful spaces. “This will allow them to learn, grow, and play,” she said.
The Otto Foundation met with the school last year and asked the school if the Grade R pupils could share drawings of what they would like in the new playground.
Once the school opened at the start of the year, the contractors worked on the playground for the past three weeks.
Dryden Primary School honoured the Otto Foundation with a certificate of appreciation. From left are the foundation’s Pam Hoffman, Kristina Miller, Dr Frouwien Bosman, Dryden Street Primary deputy principal, Michelle Kemp, Rithia Abraham, Zephne Ladbrook and Dryden Street Principal Stanton Smith.
Image: Wesley Ford
Dryden Street Primary pupils, Ahlume Plaatjie and Sylvia Toto, standing by the road safety signs in the playground.
Image: Wesley Ford
Dryden Street Primary pupils, Emmanuel Chimbiro and Tristan Evans, making use of the track around the playground.
Image: Wesley Ford