Spacious stands, quiet tree-lined streets and great value for money in a convenient location..
It’s easy to see why Blairgowrie is becoming so popular with Joburgers looking for a piece of the action in the city’s property market.
What was once a fairly staid neighbourhood is turning into something far more vibrant, thanks to the movement of young families to the area. Bordered by Jan Smuts Drive and Bram Fischer Drive, Blairgowrie is well located and easily accessible from several directions.
It’s also one of the few remaining areas near “The Parks” cluster of suburbs that still offers great value for money. Properties on stands, with sizes of between 800m2 and 1,000m2, are still available for well under the R2m mark, which isn’t the case anymore for nearby suburbs like Craighall Park or Parkhurst with their much smaller stands. “The size of the properties are really decent – there’s ample space and yet they’re easy to manage,” says resident Dominique Kuhlmann.
Dominique’s husband, Adie, describes the typical Blairgowrie house as old but full of character. “Because they’re older, they’re well-built and there’s the potential for (and often a need for) a good upgrade or sprucing up.” This makes Blairgowrie a great option for growing your property investment through a good renovation.
Another huge plus is the green belt of Delta Park that runs through it, providing the perfect woodland and grass space in which to run, walk the dogs, hike, picnic or cycle. “We just love having the spruit and Delta Park on our doorstep,” says Dominique. “It’s great for a daily, spiritual, stress-relieving dose of nature and keeping our dogs active.”
Blairgowrie is also highly community oriented, with great involvement from residents as well as the Blairgowrie Community Association (BCA) to make the suburb a safe and peaceful place in which to live. At the time of writing, the BCA was investigating several suburb-wide security measures to be implemented, such as street cameras and a security provider actively involved with residents.
Well-known government schools in the area include Blairgowrie and I.R. Griffith primary schools, while the private schools of St Teresa’s and Kingsmead College are also nearby. The Old Parktonian Sports Club offers cricket, hockey, soccer and tennis, while the Blairgowrie Recreation Centre hosts activities for kids such as karate, ballet, gymnastics and more.
We love Blairgowrie’s community spirit – not to mention Delta Park on our doorstep
Blairgowrie resident Dominique Kuhlmann
Best in food:
- J’s Diner for great Portuguese food at reasonable prices
- Alpine Restaurant and Butchery for excellent steak and meat to take away
- Patisserie de Paris for pastries, cakes and more
- Namak for delicious Indian takeaways
- Pizza Del Forno for hearty pizzas and pastas
Shopping options:
- Action Gear for outdoor sports equipment
- Frame Depot for corporate or personal picture framing
- West Pack for all household goods including plastic ware, glassware, party decor and more
- The Barbershop for a haircut on the go -Torga Optical to update your glasses
- Supermarkets including Spar and Woolworths
Top schools:
- St Teresa’s School
- Blairgowrie Primary School
- I.R. Griffith Primary School
- Kingsmead College
- Delta Park School for children with special needs
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
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