A section of Lentegeur sports ground will be made available for practise to spinning enthusiasts after the City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department signed a cooperative management agreement with the KAAPSTAD 021 SPIN non-profit company.
This agreement will form part of a broader Municipal Facility Management Committee (MFMC) agreement still in the process of completion and acceptance, said Patricia van der Ross, Mayoral committee member for community services and health.
Spinning is an informal and growing South African motorsport, she said.
“Members of the spin fraternity have participated in competitions worldwide and have shown a great deal of talent, despite the sports’ informal establishment.”
The signing of this agreement is thus a “huge step towards creating a safe space for practices, and towards formally establishing the sporting code,” said Ms Van der Ross.
They’ve searched the metro to find a suitable location to accommodate the group in a safe space, suitable for their needs and appropriate to community dynamics.
“It’s important to note that spinning practice, unlike formal events, is not considered an event and does not require an event permit. However, any spinning events still require an event permit under restrictive safety conditions, in addition to meeting other compliance measures. We have spent over two years finding an amicable way forward and we are excited to have reached this milestone,” said Ms Van der Ross.
“It is my absolute pleasure to have played a role in this significant achievement, which underscores our commitment to promoting sport and recreation in our community. I have every confidence that this partnership will foster growth and development in the sport of spinning. I wish the spinners every success in their future endeavours. May they continue to grow this sport from strength to strength, showcasing their passion and skill while inspiring others to pursue their dreams,” said Ward 76 councillor Avron Plaatjies.
This is the first agreement of its kind and will also act as a pilot to consider additional sites around the metropole, where members of the spin fraternity have indicated high participation interest, he said.
“Spin is more than informal motorsport. We are a registered NPC that supports people of all backgrounds with the proceeds we make from events, prizes at competitions or simply just through offering an alternative sport to the young and older people in our communities,” said KAAPSTAD 021 SPIN NPC representative, Chris Hadji.
“We are grateful to the City staff and councillor Van der Ross in particular for seeing this process through and that we finally have this agreement in place to establish our sport and grow our reach,” said Mr Hadji.
