Recycled Tyres Bring a Unique Crèche to Life In Heideveld

Old tyres: they’ve always had their uses. I remember playing tyre-and-stick as a laaitie. We’d grab an old tyre and a broomstick, rolling it through the streets, seeing who could keep it going the longest. The tyre, once part of a car, became a toy in our hands. That’s the beauty of old tyres—they can become anything. And now, they’re transforming the way we think about building.

 

Goal50 is a new early childhood development (ECD) centre in Heideveld on the Cape Flats, made possible by recycled materials. Five thousand tyres will help create a 750m² crèche that will include four classrooms, two outdoor play areas, and space for 100 kids. A space for growth, learning, and play, all built with recycled materials.

 

Trash Turned into Treasure

 

The crèche is not just using old tyres but bottles, mud, and other recyclable waste to construct the building. Located near the N2, Goal50 will be visible to many passing by.

 

The eye-catching look of the tyre buildings also serves a deeper purpose. They send the message that beauty can rise from discarded waste. The ECD centres uplift their neighbourhoods while teaching kids through hands-on learning.

 

A Crèche Built by the Community, for the Community

 

The Natural Building Collective designed the imaginative Goal50 centre, but it’s being built by the community, for the community. The construction is managed by Great Commission United, a local youth development organisation.

 

Funding comes from Uthando SA, a nonprofit founded in 2008 that has already built five other ECD centres in the region. And the centre is named “Goal50” after a sister organisation to GCU that serves Cape Flats residents. 

 

The first phase of the project costs over R5 million, all raised through charity. But for a community in need, this “school from trash” is priceless.

 

The centre is set to open in 2025 and will provide early education free of charge.

 

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