The founder of a local outdoor sports group recently submitted a proposal to have parkour arenas constructed within existing parks in the Stellenbosch area.
This was according to Matthew Kruger, founder of Urban Obstacle Running (UOR). Kruger, who submitted the proposal to the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) in June, is hoping to start the STARPARKS initiative in Ida’s Valley, Stellenbosch CBD, Kylemore and Jamestown.
“A STARPARK is the basic municipal park – the parkie you and I know – but we want to pimp it. We want to turn these parks into parkour arenas,” said Kruger.
The proposed design for the UOR STARPARKS submitted to the Cape Winelands District Municipality. PHOTO: Supplied/Matthew Kruger
The CWDM has confirmed that they have received the proposal outlining the construction of UOR STARPARKS in these suburbs.
“The proposal is under review, approval is dependent on legislative criteria and available funding,” Jo-Anne Otto, the deputy director of communications at the CWDM, told MatieMedia in email correspondence.
Timo van Wyk, an advanced UOR student, demonstrating a sequence to a younger student. PHOTO: Alexander Brand
Kruger is pushing to get the sport started in townships and previously disadvantaged communities as a real alternative to drug abuse and gangsterism, he said.
“UOR teaches you to see opportunities where once there were obstacles. And that is something meaningful we need to teach all our children. And having a UOR STARPARK, will provide the ideal platform to teach and model this,” said Christa Ungerer, parent of a nine-year-old UOR student.
Matthew Kruger, founder of Urban Obstacle Running, on what having STARPARKS would mean to the relevant communities.
Kruger started UOR in Stellenbosch as an integration of trail-running, free-running and parkour, in 2015. He came up with the concept while training and running along and over existing urban structures, he said. He created a 24-level grading system and added official rules, rationale and structure to what was otherwise a “wild” and subcultural urban movement art, limited mostly to being seen on social media.
“I wanted to create a sport that changes things for people,” said Kruger, adding that he struggled with drug abuse as a young person and “made many terrible choices in life”. He started running and discovered the freedom and positive benefits that came with making better choices. “UOR represents getting over obstacles in all ways possible – physical, mental and emotional,” he added.
The UOR students spend the first hour of their two-hour sessions warming up their bodies before starting full sequences. PHOTO: Alexander Brand
On 17 June, UOR also became involved with the Stellenbosch Fire and Rescue department, by assisting in training new recruits.
“[The training] is completely experimental. [The fire and rescue department] wants to up the game with the training of the recruits and it wants to get them better and sharper. So they have given us the opportunity to do that,” said Kruger.
UOR hosted a demo event at Stellenbosch Square on 26 June to raise awareness for the sport, according to Kruger.
“People seemed to enjoy watching the kids and the students perform a selection of moves and techniques. [UOR] looks forward to doing more of these as we keep on growing,” he added.
MatieMedia contacted the Stellenbosch Fire and Rescue department, but they could not give an official statement at the time of publication