Menlo Park, Pretoria
Encyclopedia
Menlo Park is a suburb in the city of Pretoria
, South Africa
. It borders other upmarket areas Waterkloof
, Brooklyn
and Lynnwood. When it was first established between the 1950s and 1970s, it was the most eastern suburb of Pretoria
, but the city has since considerably expanded eastwards. Today these suburbs are known as the old east and can boast to have some of the city’s most high-end residential properties.
Menlo Park has a central position near the N1
highway, within easy reach of the CBD, is near major shopping malls (Menlyn and Brooklyn Mall), and has a revamped heart, with a theatre, coffee bars, restaurants and cafés. It is the site of Menlo Park High School (as well as Menlo Park Primary School) and lies near the University of Pretoria
.
Together with Brooklyn
and Lynnwood, it was most likely named after American
counterparts. Residents think that this reflects the suburb’s less “stuffy” image, when compared to that of leafy Waterkloof
(which has many street names reflecting the British Empire
).
The suburb was the home of iconic South African artist Walter Battiss
, whose erstwhile home has been converted into a residential development with guesthouse known as Fook Island (named after the Battiss-created utopian “independent nation” with murals created by Battiss protégé Norman Catherine
), as well as abstract art
ist, Bettie Cilliers-Barnard
.
It is also the site of a Sentech
VHF (radio and television) repeater.
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It borders other upmarket areas Waterkloof
Waterkloof
Waterkloof is a suburb of the city of Pretoria, South Africa. It is named after the original farm that stood there when Pretoria was founded in the 19th Century. Located to the east of the city centre, Waterkloof is a leafy, established area that is home to some of the city's most expensive real...
, Brooklyn
Brooklyn, Pretoria
Brooklyn is a suburb of the city of Pretoria, South Africa. It is a well-established area, lying to the east of the city centre, encompassing high-end residential properties and several upmarket mall developments. It borders the University of Pretoria to its north and the suburbs of Groenkloof and...
and Lynnwood. When it was first established between the 1950s and 1970s, it was the most eastern suburb of Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, but the city has since considerably expanded eastwards. Today these suburbs are known as the old east and can boast to have some of the city’s most high-end residential properties.
Menlo Park has a central position near the N1
N1 (South Africa)
The N1 is a South African National Route, running from Cape Town to Beit Bridge on the border with Zimbabwe. It is also the main road link between Johannesburg and Cape Town, and forms the first section of the famed Cape to Cairo Road....
highway, within easy reach of the CBD, is near major shopping malls (Menlyn and Brooklyn Mall), and has a revamped heart, with a theatre, coffee bars, restaurants and cafés. It is the site of Menlo Park High School (as well as Menlo Park Primary School) and lies near the University of Pretoria
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
.
Together with Brooklyn
Brooklyn, Pretoria
Brooklyn is a suburb of the city of Pretoria, South Africa. It is a well-established area, lying to the east of the city centre, encompassing high-end residential properties and several upmarket mall developments. It borders the University of Pretoria to its north and the suburbs of Groenkloof and...
and Lynnwood, it was most likely named after American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
counterparts. Residents think that this reflects the suburb’s less “stuffy” image, when compared to that of leafy Waterkloof
Waterkloof
Waterkloof is a suburb of the city of Pretoria, South Africa. It is named after the original farm that stood there when Pretoria was founded in the 19th Century. Located to the east of the city centre, Waterkloof is a leafy, established area that is home to some of the city's most expensive real...
(which has many street names reflecting the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
).
The suburb was the home of iconic South African artist Walter Battiss
Walter Battiss
Walter Whall Battiss was a South African artist, generally considered the foremost South African abstract painter and known as the creator of the quirky "Fook Island" concept....
, whose erstwhile home has been converted into a residential development with guesthouse known as Fook Island (named after the Battiss-created utopian “independent nation” with murals created by Battiss protégé Norman Catherine
Norman Catherine
Norman Catherine in East London, South Africa is a South African artist whose œuvre spans painting, sculpture, printmaking and mixed media...
), as well as abstract art
Abstract art
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century, underpinned by the logic of perspective and an...
ist, Bettie Cilliers-Barnard
Bettie Cilliers-Barnard
Bettie Cillers-Barnard was a South African abstract artist, generally known for her large canvases of birds in flight.She was also the mother of well-known South African actress Jana Cilliers....
.
It is also the site of a Sentech
Sentech
Sentech is the signal distributor for the South African broadcasting sector. The organisation began operations in 1992 as the signal distributor of the South African Broadcasting Corporation...
VHF (radio and television) repeater.