Launch

The launch of our projects happened this Saturday. I tried to write a blog on Sunday and found myself unable to do so.
The effects of the past weeks and the excitement of Saturday had not yet settled.
So here it is in retrospect...
Our work at the Chesspark in the early hours of the day was still not complete, the screed around the checkered board was wet and therefore could not be cleaned to it's glory, the tiles also needed some serious de-cementing. The tent for the chess tournament was in the process of being assembled and Anthony was busy organizing the day ahead.
The event started at the beerhall, at about 10:30 am, the structure is not used to being used at such early hours of the morning. It was shy against the blue backdrop of the sky...Physically it also possesses a nakedness which completely transforms into a playsuit as the sun starts it's westward journey.
We the went on a procession to all five of the individual projects which ended at the Chess Academy. By this time the chess tournament had started, the 46 players were organized at tables sitting under the canopy of the tent. The new shiny fibreglass pieces were set up on the chess board, waiting for the game to begin....
Anthony's dream had come true, the chess parks very own first tournament was in action... there was a break for the speeches. Anthony made us all aware of the interesting connection between Job Maseko, ( a south african soldier who had fought in the second world war and sunk a German submarine) after whom the street which the chess park borders is named after, and the funders of the project, the German humanitarians of the IFG organization. Talk about 6 degrees of separation...
We ate, boerewors with coleslaw and pap, prepared by Anthony's sisters Zanele and Thembi, and headed back to the beerhall....
Now that the sun was on it's way down, the beerhall had transformed into animated shadows and sounds created by the multitudes of children. It was overwhelming, the energy, the children were in a state of ecstasy, a giant playground was at their disposal and they were loving it with a passion...
A basket ball tournament was in action, music was playing from the first floor, numerous games were in place, incomprehensible by the adults yet fully felt....
Being a member of the chesspark group I take my hat off to the beerhall group...What they did there was cosmetic, practical yet most importantly they resuscitated the the spirit of place...
Not only that, they exorcised it from it's complex past, and it's violent activities into a space of play and positivity...
They had a lot of opposition from a number of bodies, yet their initial idea of playplace survived this and I believe it is through their conviction and suffering that the results have been and continue to be so positive...
There is a lesson to be learnt here, in terms of design and following through against all odds....
What I also loved about the beerhall group is that they represented and were a voice for the children without complicating it with the ego based ideas that grown ups tend to have....There was something very intuitive going on there, they took risks. From an outsiders point of view, I believe that their team was consolidated.... I would be interested to know how their team worked, how it was organized.
As for the chesspark, in many ways we had an easier brief, it was defined for us. Anthony had a master plan, we were there to execute it, which we did. Although the chessboard is an almost two dimensional space, it started underground... Most of us had never had the responsibility of starting a
site. It was not unlike picking up a pen for the first time and drawing. To dig the 52 square meter cavity into the ground 500mm deep, believe it or not, took courage....For Ma shobas shop and sign to rise 3 meters off the ground took courage....
We were not not alone, there was Solomon and Silias-Sunnyboy, the builders, and Phillip the welder who captained these structures into existence..
Without the volunteers and Anthony we would not of completed them in time. Ahaka, Karabo, Sifiso, Tom and myself were there to provide anything and everything that was necessary, from the physical labor to the vast amounts of materials which were needed.
Our group de-consolidated towards the completion of the elements as there was little planning of the launch from our side. That responsibility was predominantly taken by Anthony, Hannah, Peter and Tseleng....
Today is Tuesday, 3 days after the opening of the sites...I decided to go back to Kwathema as I had a feeling that there was something incomplete...not sure what it was I went anyway....