Amanzimtoti Life And Times At Hutchinson Park

Walk, Kick, Run, Cycle, Bat or Ball

Whether you wish to do sport, enjoy a riverside walk, watch sport, have a pint or enjoy a meal it all happens at this sports center.

We meander the grounds as we have done over many years, this last visit I took to photographing the signage on some of the sports available.

Sports clubs are never free, paying membership fees to be affiliated to the club, use of facilities, purchase their team colours to wear with pride, you buy your equipment, all in all to join any clubhouse you pay your way.

What is on offer, squash, tennis, baseball, cricket, football/soccer, rugby, cycling, athletics, bowls, sometimes dog training, or canoeing when water conditions are right.

Lords and Legends Sports Bar where anyone can visit for a breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Cyclists have a large area with tracks and ramps to enjoy.

Cyclists clubhouse signage.

Athletics Club meet up for time trials, large marathon events, athletics club house with cordoned off area.

Practice makes perfect from within the training nets for cricket.

Tennis courts with clubhouse in the background, behind tennis courts squash courts, using another entrance to the park.

Adjacent using same Tennis/Squash courts parking area is the Rugby clubhouse seen to the left of this photo, across the road Library and Civic Center. More cricket nets available here for practicing in.

Main entrance parking to Lords and Legends, Cycling, Athletics, Baseball where many park when visiting there is a playground for the children to enjoy time in the sunshine as well.

Cows meander through, although this does not make many exceptionally happy, it is a way of life, one learns to respect/expect the animals guided by a herdsman, most move the cattle through as quickly as possible, avoiding sports fields using pathways!

Dogs being walked at the time, much excitement when the lumbering large beasts appear.

Area & History

Hutchison Park is set on the banks of Amanzimtoti River reasonably close to the river mouth, Illanda Wilds is on the opposite bank to the river to sports venue, an ideal space for bird watching. It provides visitors and locals with sporting facilities, a library, and a large civic center. (Library and civic center now in desperate need of repair being neglected under Ethekweni Municipality, time for local residents to take up the challenge!)

29th April 2023 hosted the 60th Highland Gathering at Hutchinson Park, a fund raising event currently run by Lions Clubs International since 1978 - 2023 raising funds to meet needs challenges faced by local community. Prior years hosted possibly by local community giving an idea as to how long the land has been used to entertain the local residents and inland visitors.

Amazintoti Lodge Old Church in Ross Street had a stone laid in October 1935, Picardy-Bazooka Shellhole stone laid by MOTH organization in 1950 at the bowling club giving a glimpse into the past of the town.

Trains made travel possible, first train arrived in 1897 under steam hauling two goods trucks, two passenger trucks and the brake van. A hotel built in 1898 to cater to holidaymakers from inland Johannesburg on special trains arranged.

Amazimtoti as a destination was first seen in 1928 as a holiday town, then later developed into a small coastal Township in 1939. Later a Borough in 1952, then in 1961 amalgamated into a single Municipality with Isipingo Beach and Isipingo Rail, 1994 fell under eThekweni Municipality which is the greater Durban region. Source Research

Hutchison Park and Illanda Wilds up the Toti River visiting this park is part of the history of the town, open for all to visit. Very little is documented as to when Hutchinson Sports Center originally opened, whether it was by mutual decision of the residents in town.

Future generations hopefully are willing to protect, preserve this park with benches donated by community, braai facilities available to enjoy a picnic out watching sport at no charge. Everything you arrive with will be purchased somewhere, please leave only footprints after your stay!