This past weekend, the iconic Grassy Park Hotel caught fire, but thanks to the quick response of fire and rescue teams, the blaze was quickly contained. As news spread of the fire, people came to reminisce about the heyday of the hotel, a place that embodies their youth, joy, happiness and resilience. 

Ward Councillor Donovan Nelson, thanked the City’s Fire Services for their swift response.

“Teams contained and extinguished the fire and prevented further damage. I know the focus now is safety, support for staff and patrons and recovery. My office will assist with coordination across City services where necessary and I will work with the management to ensure we can play that role.

“Grassy Park Hotel is an iconic local establishment. For decades it has hosted family events, community meetings and visiting guests. Many residents have memories tied to this venue,” he said.

Victoria Road has long been the heart of Grassy Park, a vibrant stretch where residents could find everything they needed without leaving the neighbourhood. Among its landmarks — a pharmacy, convenience store, bottle store, bioscope. However one stood out as the centre of community life: the Grassy Park Hotel.

Ridwaan Osman, the son of Ebrahim Osman, one of the hotel’s founding members, provides a unique perspective on its history and legacy. Through his recollections, the hotel’s role as a hub for social, cultural, and charitable activity comes vividly to life.

“The Grassy Park Hotel was established in 1962 by Ebrahim Osman, a  Mr. Frans, and a Mr. Rich, with the vision of offering accommodation, entertainment, and retail services to both Grassy Park and the wider Cape Flats.”

Osman recalled, “It was some sort of entertainment. You didn’t have to leave the area. It was run beautifully. There was live music, people danced there, you played darts.”

Over the years, the hotel became more than a business. It actively supported community projects such as BRA HELP, founded by the late Andre Braunschweiler to assist the less fortunate. The hall hosted fundraising events from sending children overseas for sporting events to other charitable initiatives and provided a safe, welcoming place for residents to meet, make memories, and enjoy themselves.

During apartheid, the hotel also played a notable role in the local landscape.

Its grand opening in 1962 was attended by former South African President John Vorster, and when asked for his opinion of the establishment, he reportedly  remarked, “It is too good for the coloured people,” Osman recalled.

Memorable events over the years included seniors’ lunches and entertainment from 10am. to 3 pm., weddings, darts tournaments and clubs, and Klawerjas competitions.

The hotel’s night club, Heatwave, welcomed local patrons and visiting entertainers, with names such as Jonathan Butler, The Rockets, Tony Schilder, and Basil “Mannenburg” Coetzee performing or frequenting the venue.

Patrons themselves recalled the energy and community spirit the hotel fostered.

Nana De Beer, 62, said she first started visiting at just 19 years old. “The DJ Al-Bs was the resident DJ and he’s still there now,” she joked. “He still looks the same, he just plays different music — first it was ’80s music, now this new school stuff. It was just a vibe compared to now. Everyone enjoyed themselves, having a drink, dancing, there was hardly trouble. We even went in the week and walked home safely after the dance finished.

“My friends from Mitchells Plain, Cafda, Lavis all knew about Grassy Park Hotel. They would travel all the way and even sleep over at my place. We had so much fun, even though my mommy wasn’t a fan of us going to the dance.”

Seventy-one-year-old Desmond Williams also remembered the hotel fondly: “You couldn’t buy booze on a Sunday, so we would come to the hotel on a Sunday, buy something to eat, and then buy wine. It was the only place at the time you could do that, the only licensed place. I also had a friend who played in the band. There was live music, it was just a lovely place.”

A 79-year-old woman, who chose to remain anonymous, shared how her husband would spend weekdays playing at the casino at the hotel. “He played Klawerjas and always spoke well about the hotel, but he always came home lekker tanne nat, especially when they won the match. Everyone knows the hotel . Jy het either by die bar section gesit, or baie daar gedans, maar daai was die go-to plek.”

For Osman, the hotel’s importance goes beyond entertainment and commerce. “Grassy Park Hotel is a place for the community to come together to meet new people, make friendships that can last for years, exchange ideas and opportunities.”

tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za

Weekend Argus 

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