Now, more than eight decades on, this Gauteng icon is entering a new chapter, and it's one worth paying attention to.

The landmark is being lovingly restored and reimagined as Gillooly's Gardens a botanical garden and lifestyle destination built for a city that's hungry for beautiful, safe, and soulful spaces to gather.

Let's be clear: this isn't a case of paving paradise for the sake of another events complex. The team behind the project has been deliberate about protecting the character that made Gillooly's beloved in the first place the lake, the walking trails, the birdlife, the open lawns that have always offered an easy escape from city noise.

Instead, think of it as a long-term act of stewardship. Food, markets, culture and recreation are being woven into the gardens as complements, not replacements every addition designed to honour the land rather than compete with it. It's a rare kind of restraint in a city where green space is increasingly precious.

The centrepiece of this new era is Gather, a family restaurant and dining experience that will anchor the Gillooly's Gardens experience. And the names attached to it are the kind that make Johannesburg's dining scene sit up.

Gather has been curated by none other than Coco & J the husband-and-wife duo who've become synonymous with warmth, culture and good food in South African lifestyle circles. J'Something, the award-winning frontman of Mi Casa, has long since traded purely musical credentials for a second life as a chef, restaurateur and television personality. His wife Coco, a content creator and entrepreneur in her own right, brings the same instinct for storytelling and hospitality to the table.

Together, the pair aren't simply lending their names they're shaping the food, the atmosphere and the philosophy behind both Gather and the Good Stuff Market. As they put it themselves, the ambition is a space that "celebrates good food, good people, community and connection" a space, in their words, that "feels like home.

Gather and the broader Gillooly's Gardens concept sit under a team with more than 25 years of experience shaping some of South Africa's most talked-about hospitality destinations a portfolio that includes Artistry, The Palace Bar Company (home to Katy's Palace and Sir James Van Der Merwe Bar), The Ivy, Obscura, and Cape Town's The Ostrich. With several new openings already planned across the country for 2026 and 2027, this is a team fluent in creating spaces that feel elevated without losing their sense of soul.

Beyond Gather, the reimagined Gillooly's experience will bring its gardens and walking trails together with family-friendly programming, the Good Stuff Market, community events, and an amphitheatre poised to host a series of live shows later this year. Expect music and performance to return to one of Johannesburg's most familiar natural backdrops though dates, artists and ticketing details are still to be announced.

Perhaps the most refreshing part of this story is what the team behind Gillooly's Gardens is not chasing. This isn't a bid to become Bedfordview's busiest attraction it's a bid to become its most loved. The goal is trust built slowly, through consistent care, rather than hype built quickly through spectacle.

As the gates edge closer to reopening, more will be revealed about the restoration journey, Gather's debut, the Good Stuff Market and the live shows on the horizon. For now, Johannesburg has something rare to look forward to: a piece of its own history, restored with intention, and reopened as a place to gather, connect, and feel genuinely at home.