WORDS: EMILY SHAW IMAGES: TER HOLLMANN
Rivonia lies between the Braamfontein Spruit and Sand Spruit and is historically famous for being home to Liliesleaf Farm, where individuals were arrested to appear in what would become the Rivonia Treason Trial.
Now a leafy suburb with stand-alone homes for growing families, apartment blocks for professionals and a fantastic location for business and services, Rivonia is a much sought-after area to live and work.
“I love that I travel against the traffic to and from work, so I hardly every waste time on my commute. I feel there are all the shops and parks we need as a young family here as well, which makes running errands and getting around easy and convenient,” says Lyle Anderson, designer and dad of twin boys who has lived in the area for two years.
Schools
“Rivonia Primary is an amazing school. In Gallo Manor, next door to Rivonia is the most incredible preprimary called Peter Wabbit and it truly is a great place to send your little ones,” says Lyle. In addition to these recommendations, schools in the area include Curro Rivonia, the St Peter’s Schools and Nkowa Private School. Given Rivonia’s central placement, many of the schools in the greater Sandton area will be easily accessible as well, so parents really have a wide variety of institutes from which to choose.
Shop
Your weekly grocery shopping is taken care of by Rivonia Village, where you can fill the pantry as well as book a holiday, have your hair cut, buy Fido’s favourite treats, and get your blazers cleaned. In the Rivonia Village Centre you’ll also have access to a dentist and a GP for the family’s annual check-ups.
Out and about
“We do stay at home a lot with the two-year-old twins, but we have a lovely dog park we like to visit, and there are two parkruns right by our place: Woodlands and Ernest Ullmann,” says Lyle, who also comments that there are plenty of places to eat at the Rivonia Village. “Our favourite places to go to are RocoMamas and Polpetta in the Wedge Shopping Centre.” When Lyle isn’t taking part in a Saturday morning run, walking the dog (and boys) in the park or running errands at the Village, he enjoys a day at the Morningside Bowls Club. “It’s the best fun to roll a few and have a couple of really cheap drinks and a fantastic pub lunch here.”
For Lyle’s young family, the convenience of closely placed key amenities such as medical care, schools and shopping centres as well as the numerous parks and casual restaurants makes Rivonia hard to beat as the perfect platform for a happy home.
I love Rivonia because I can do everything from servicing my bicycle to having my morning coffee at Vida e Caffè right on my doorstep! LYLE ANDERSON, RESIDENT
INSIDER TRADING
Thinking of starting a new business or expanding your existing service into buzzy Rivonia? Here are some considerations:
Audience: A mix of middle-class young families, single professionals and couples and students
Online or brick and mortar: Although bustling with business already, Rivonia is a great spot for a small store or service outlet. The existing businesses will encourage foot traffic and visibility and the retail space should be less expensive (albeit possibly smaller spaces).
Potential customers: A fantastic area for niche service such as bicycle shops, florists, shoe-repairs, engravers and anything else you can think of (and potentially need!)
Marketing opportunities: Although foot traffic will help a lot with your awareness, the area is quite full of signs, billboards and fly-posters as well as storefronts. Digital advertising would probably serve business well here, especially on community Facebook pages.
EXPERIENCE
- Morningside Bowls Club: famous for its chicken schnitzel
- Madison Avenue: squeak a takkie on the dancefloor at this famous club
- Hamilton Park: fenced-in dog and kiddie park
EAT
- Kong Tai Chinese: great value for money, try the chow mein
- The Elm Tree: classic French cuisine in an elegant guesthouse
- Polpetta: romantic Italian setting for date night
CONVENIENCE
- Steers Engen Rivonia: perfect for a bite on the run
- Rivonia Village: all your living needs (and wants) covered
- Rivonia Gate Health Centre: chiro, physio and biokinetics under one roof
