The vibrant Sunridge Park area is a famly-friendly, established suburb in a superb location.
About the area
There’s a vibrancy to Sunridge Park that belies its age. The area is an established residential suburb that has been the home to several generations of families, and due to its convenient location it is still as popular as ever.
The area is situated between Cape Road and Kragga Kamma next to Framesby. Sunridge Park’s popularity comes from its location on the outskirts of the city centre – close enough to amenities but still far enough from the hustle and bustle of commercial areas. The area is a 15 to 20-minute drive from a range of big shopping centres.
The suburb’s closest and most popular shopping centre is Sunridge Village, which is also arguably the immediate area’s biggest attraction.
The shopping complex houses 51 shops and with its modern fittings and cobblestone pathways it is a far cry from the original farmstead of the 1800s.
In those years, this spot was used as a gathering place for local farmers and travellers en route to Port Elizabeth. This resulted in informal trading of produce and wares. It was also a place where people stopped to rest and find out the news of the day.
It is said that the area was the furthest eastern boundary of Khoisan settlements and many place names in the area were derived from traditional Khoisan language, though altered over time. According to centre management, this is the reason behind the streets' Khoisan-inspired names, such as Kabega Avenue, Kouga Lane and Outentiqua Boulevard.
The award-winning indigenous gardens which surround the centre were established by removing alien vegetation and replacing it with indigenous trees such as yellowwood, white stinkwood and acacia karroo. In order to assist the public, nametags appear on trees in four different languages.
Malls are not the only drawcard for Sunridge Park as residents are also only 20 minutes away from seeing a huge variety of wildlife at the popular Kragga Kamma Game Reserve.
I love living in Sunridge Park because it’s a beautiful family neighbourhood and because of the Sunridge Village shopping centre which caters for our every need
Jo-Ann Outram, resident
Top schools nearby:
- Sunridge Primary School
- Framesby High School
- Cotswold Preparatory School
Kids’ entertainment:
- Londt Park Mini Train: a delightful miniature railway complete with station, overhead pedestrian bridge and tunnel.
- Cafe Capellini: offers the convenience of a seating area for parents inside the play area with fun age-appropriate games and toys for kids.
Best in food:
- Buzz Factory: a family-style restaurant with industrial-feel decor and a buzzing ambience
- Fushin Sushi and Street Bar: specialising in eastern cuisine with unique flavours and recipes
- The Coffee Society: a great place to hang out over breakfast and lunch.
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
