Zoo Lake
Encyclopedia
Zoo Lake is a popular lake and public park in Johannesburg
, South Africa
. It is located at S 26° 9' 30.96" E 28° 1' 42.96". It is part of the Hermann Eckstein
Park and is opposite the Johannesburg Zoo
. The Zoo Lake consists of two dams, an upper feeder dam, and a larger lower dam, both constructed in natural marshland watered by the Parktown Spruit.
for potential exploitation of minerals. When this objective failed, Eckstein laid it out as a timber plantation and named it Sachsenwald, after Otto von Bismarck
’s estate in Germany. The plantation was started in 1891, and about three million trees were planted in the area. The forest became a favourite recreational spot for the wealthy Randlord
s and their families. About 10 years after Eckstein died, in 1903 his business partners (the firm Messrs. Wernher Beit & Co and Max Michaelis) gave over 200 acres of freehold ground to the Johannesburg Town Council to build the Johannesburg Zoo and the Herman Eckstein Park. The gift of land included a small Zoological Collection. 20 acres of the gifted land was to be used by the Imperial Light Horse Regiment, and is now the site of the War Museum. The rest of the Sachsenwald land was developed into the present-day Johannesburg suburbs of Saxonwold
and Forest Town
.
An artificial lake was added to the Park in 1908. It also boasts the Coronation Fountain, a "musical fountain" and a Johannesburg heritage symbol, which was built in 1937 to commemorate the coronation of Britain’s King George VI. . When Johannesburg celebrated its 70 birthday in 1956, as part of the city's celebration Margot Fonteyn
danced Swan Lake
with the Lake as a backdrop.
The gift of land was made under the condition that the facilities were to remain open to people of all races, which was unusual in Colonial South Africa. The multi-racial nature of the Park endured throughout the Apartheid era.
s and other waterfowl
, which roost in an island at the centre of the lake, and feeding these birds (although officially discouraged) is a common family activity. However the water enters the Lake after passing through the grounds of the Zoo next door, and it is currently too polluted
to permit angling or swimming. Efforts are underway to implement a sustainable eco-friendly filtration system.
The Park has restaurants, and is the venue for the annual Jazz on the Lake festival, Carols by Candlelight events and the Artists under the Sun open air art exhibition.
The precienct includes the Zoo Lake Bowling Club, the Zoo Lake Swimming Pool and the Zoo Lake Sports Club, and its close to the SA Museum of Military History.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, 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 is located at S 26° 9' 30.96" E 28° 1' 42.96". It is part of the Hermann Eckstein
Hermann Eckstein
Hermann Ludwig Eckstein was a South African mining magnate and banker.-Life history:Born in Hohenheim near Stuttgart, Germany to a Lutheran minister, he received an excellent education...
Park and is opposite the Johannesburg Zoo
Johannesburg Zoo
The Johannesburg Zoo is a zoo in Johannesburg, South Africa. Established in 1904, it has traditionally been owned and operated by the City of Johannesburg...
. The Zoo Lake consists of two dams, an upper feeder dam, and a larger lower dam, both constructed in natural marshland watered by the Parktown Spruit.
History
The land was originally part of the Braamfontein farm, and was bought by banker and mining magnate Hermann EcksteinHermann Eckstein
Hermann Ludwig Eckstein was a South African mining magnate and banker.-Life history:Born in Hohenheim near Stuttgart, Germany to a Lutheran minister, he received an excellent education...
for potential exploitation of minerals. When this objective failed, Eckstein laid it out as a timber plantation and named it Sachsenwald, after Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
’s estate in Germany. The plantation was started in 1891, and about three million trees were planted in the area. The forest became a favourite recreational spot for the wealthy Randlord
Randlord
Randlord is a term used to denote the entrepreneurs who controlled the diamond and gold mining industries in South Africa in its pioneer phase from the 1870s up to World War I....
s and their families. About 10 years after Eckstein died, in 1903 his business partners (the firm Messrs. Wernher Beit & Co and Max Michaelis) gave over 200 acres of freehold ground to the Johannesburg Town Council to build the Johannesburg Zoo and the Herman Eckstein Park. The gift of land included a small Zoological Collection. 20 acres of the gifted land was to be used by the Imperial Light Horse Regiment, and is now the site of the War Museum. The rest of the Sachsenwald land was developed into the present-day Johannesburg suburbs of Saxonwold
Saxonwold, Gauteng
Saxonwold is a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is situated in what was once the Sachsenwald Forest in the early 20th century. It is located in Region 3....
and Forest Town
Forest Town, Gauteng
Forest Town, as the name implies, is a leafy suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. It lies between the busy thoroughfares of Jan Smuts Avenue and Oxford Road, and is bordered to one side by the Johannesburg Zoo....
.
An artificial lake was added to the Park in 1908. It also boasts the Coronation Fountain, a "musical fountain" and a Johannesburg heritage symbol, which was built in 1937 to commemorate the coronation of Britain’s King George VI. . When Johannesburg celebrated its 70 birthday in 1956, as part of the city's celebration Margot Fonteyn
Margot Fonteyn
Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias, DBE , was an English ballerina of the 20th century. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of all time...
danced Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
with the Lake as a backdrop.
The gift of land was made under the condition that the facilities were to remain open to people of all races, which was unusual in Colonial South Africa. The multi-racial nature of the Park endured throughout the Apartheid era.
Amenities
Zoo Lake is a popular spot for picnicking, walking dogs, jogging and canoeing. There are also small boats available for hire. Zoo Lake has duckDuck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s and other waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
, which roost in an island at the centre of the lake, and feeding these birds (although officially discouraged) is a common family activity. However the water enters the Lake after passing through the grounds of the Zoo next door, and it is currently too polluted
Water pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....
to permit angling or swimming. Efforts are underway to implement a sustainable eco-friendly filtration system.
The Park has restaurants, and is the venue for the annual Jazz on the Lake festival, Carols by Candlelight events and the Artists under the Sun open air art exhibition.
The precienct includes the Zoo Lake Bowling Club, the Zoo Lake Swimming Pool and the Zoo Lake Sports Club, and its close to the SA Museum of Military History.