A fully funded, ambitious proposal has been tabled to revitalise Mushroom Farm Park in partnership with Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo — transforming the beloved urban green space into a safe, inclusive, and world-class park at no cost to the City of Johannesburg.
The initiative is led by Soul D’Afrique and its owners, Carmen Graham, Josef Schmidt and Trevor Latimer, who also operate Truffles on the Park. This award-winning botanical bistro and bar has been a Sandton destination since 2018, celebrated for contemporary cuisine that engages all the senses. Truffles delivers a lucid, light, and dynamic kitchen where breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and celebrations are crafted with thoughtful attention to flavour, presentation, and atmosphere. Guests enjoy fresh, locally sourced produce, herbs and botanicals, innovative cocktails from a state-of-the-art botanical beverage kitchen, and a culinary approach that honours both tradition and creativity. From perfectly balanced Levante-style dishes to indulgent desserts, every plate is designed to delight, restore, and challenge the senses.
This same commitment to excellence informs the Mushroom Farm Park proposal. The goal is clear: restore public confidence and ensure the park is welcoming, safe, and accessible for families, joggers, children, and visitors. Professional access control from sunrise to sunset, extended park hours, enhanced collaboration with community policing structures, security cameras, Wi-Fi connectivity, panic buttons, and armed response partnerships form the core of a comprehensive safety strategy.
Sustainable maintenance and infrastructure improvements include bi-weekly park and wetland clean-ups, fencing and pathway repairs, upgraded solar lighting and access points, regular play equipment inspections with EU-standard educational features, litter and pet-waste stations, and seasonal indigenous tree planting. Quarterly community clean-ups with schools and volunteers will foster civic pride and environmental stewardship.
The vision extends to cultural and recreational experiences: a free-to-use cultural stage for concerts and exhibitions, a roaming art-walk path, meditation garden, fenced dog interaction area, slide park with five 10-metre slides, upgraded jogging paths with solar lighting and distance markers, eco-friendly ablutions and drinking fountains, a landmark bridge via corporate sponsorship, and monthly family and community markets. Sustainability is central, with recycled materials and potential solar energy expansion guiding all upgrades.
The project also delivers socio-economic impact: approximately 20 jobs, 4–6 annual learnerships, hospitality and skills development programmes, and quarterly community engagement initiatives focusing on recycling, water conservation, and public health.
Together, the vision combines exceptional dining and a vibrant public space. With Truffles on the Park as a culinary anchor and Mushroom Farm Park as a revitalised green hub, Sandton will gain a cleaner, safer, greener, and more vibrant destination — a model of public-private partnership and a place for the community to gather, celebrate, and connect.