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Built Environment Committee (BEC):

  • Finalizing the nomination of the Green Point Common as a Provincial Heritage site has again been delayed. Antonia Malan will make a presentation summarizing the status of this nomination at the AGM on 1 June 2023.

  • Erf 2127, 38Y Ocean View Drive: the application for rooftop base telecommunication stations at 38Y OVD was refused by the Municipal Planning Tribunal and by the subsequent appeal. The six base telecommunication stations continue to operate. Notice to remove them was served on the property owner in February 2023. The neighbours are watching!

GPRRA News

General news about the GPRRA organisation

·         Erf 288, 25 Ocean View Drive:  In November 2022 we were advised that, after a seven year process, this matter has finally been resolved by way of a court order, in terms of which the planning decisions of CoCT have been set aside and the restrictive title deed conditions have been restored.

·         Following approval of the redevelopment of the Ultra Liquors site on Main Road, application has now been made to redevelop the site at the back of the Never at Home Hotel next door. The proposal is for a seven-storey residential block with 36 apartments and 24 parking bays. We expect any approval to be subject to the same requirement to effectively preserve the tree roots in Thorniebrae garden
during excavation.

 

Stuart Burnett
 

 

Events Committee: 

Since January, CoCT has issued over 327 permits for events across the whole city. With its beautiful scenery, low operational costs and inexpensive accommodation, Cape Town is fast becoming the events capital of the world. Of these events, many have taken place in the Green Point area.     

Base telecommunication stations

Base telecommunication stations

Management Committee (MC): 

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  • We address many issues that concern the community and also attend numerous meetings. For example: 
    • members of the Built Environment Committee have encyclopaedic knowledge of our built environment and play a crucial role in preserving this heritage 
    • at Ward Forum meetings we lobby for improved service delivery such as refuse collection and recycling; for support by Parks and Cleansing Services to assist with trimming trees in public spaces and maintaining pristine streets; we scrutinize liquor license applications; share common interests and goals to improve our community with other Ward 115 members. 
    • we share feedback on Councillor Ian McMahon’s activities such as his engagement with Traffic Network Management to solve long delays at York Road traffic lights by adjusting the timing to ensure an improved flow without negatively impacting Main Road and the Circle intersection. Solutions for lights at Glengariff/Main Road are also bearing explored. 
    • we propose projects for the Ward Allocation from SubCouncil’s operating fund - for 2022/23 GPRRA motivated for the upgrade of Thornhill Park. 
    • Events Committee attends the Green Point Urban Park Forum bimonthly to discuss management of the precinct, compliance of all lease holders and problems faced on event days. 
    • we pressure SanParks to maintain Signal Hill particularly as residents are funding and actioning cleaning of slopes behind Springbok and Merriman roads as well as Upper Strand Street. We also emphasize to SanParks the need to step up patrols to protect residents who hike in the area.
    • we attended CoCT’s first workshop on 22 March that commenced the process of collating and sharing ideas for the redevelopment of the Strand Street Quarry. 
    • we support the extension of Pinocchio Creche’s lease based on their invaluable contribution to our community. 
    • we attend the monthly Community Police Forum to catch up on reports from SAPS, Metro Police and Law Enforcement regarding safety and security, bylaw infringement arrests and debate on how to deal with street children and other challenges. 
    • we engage with Avenue Response to monitor cul-de-sac and isolated pockets of our neighbourhood. (Consider singing up with AR and also becoming a member of GPNW.) 

 

Liz Knight 
 

Cape Town Cycle Tour  

Coming up in late April, May, June and July will be the We are Africa event at the Stadium and various Currie Cup rugby games as well as the Cape Milers Running and the Prescient Freedom Paddle.

So far, we have managed to keep sound levels at an acceptable volume, but occasionally announcers at sports events do get over-excited and make it difficult for the independent sound consultants to keep within the designated decibel levels.

Traffic flow from large Stadium events and illegal parking continue to be problematic. The MPRA and GPRRA regularly meet with Councillors Nicola Jowell and Ian McMahon and CoCT’s Events and Traffic Departments to discuss solutions.

Steve Massey

 

Human Environment Committee (HEC):

Friends of Green Point Lanes: Our network of lanes serve as crucial pedestrian routes for those who live, play and work in our neighbourhood as well as for tourists. MyCity bus stops are spatially placed at the beginning (or end) of each lane on High Level.  FoGPL have invested time and funds to transform these once derelict historic features in accordance with CoCT’s spatial planning position. We meet many hikers and dog walkers and our hiking group is now well established. Get in touch to be part of our ‘mini watch’, to get fit, to appreciate our environment and to engage with your neighbours.

FoGPL hiking group

Our team (in orange and blue) are responsible for transforming the gardens in the lanes and parks. They have also been creating a garden at SAPs. Assigned by Peter Cookson (CoCT Social Development based on our support for his programs), the team is part of the Expanded Public Works Program (EPWP) which provides income and poverty relief for the unemployed. They are learning a new a skill and we also witness their personal development through gardening.

EPWP team of gardeners

CoCT Social Development: Supported by Peter Cookson, we continue to engage with our homeless community and are making progress in finding longterm rehabilitation solutions. This is despite the recent ruling preventing CoCT from serving eviction notices.
https://www.capetown.gov.za/Media-and-news/City%20disappointed%20by%20delay%20in%20CBD%20unlawful%20occupations%20matter%20due%20to%20late%20notice%20to%20oppose

Success of interventions by the fieldworkers can be judged by the numerous IDs we fund (approx. 120 in the past year valued @ R16,800) plus bus fares are also crucial for those wishing to return home to families. Thanks to Green Point residents who support this initiative.

 

The anticipated opening of a 300-bed Safe Space in Ebernezer Road is crucial to our efforts to assist more people off our streets. The Safe Spaces provide access to onsite social workers, personal development planning, social grant assistance, family reunification services, access to substance and alcohol abuse treatment, skills training, job seeking assistance and access to EPWP work placement. In addition to accommodation and ablutions, they receive two meals a day. CoCT will continue adding more transitional shelter beds in the coming months to assist more people off the streets.  

 

GPRRA SafeStreet Collective: Funding from the National Treasury’s Public Employment Program (PEP) was renewed in January so our program on Main Road continues to transform the lives of 12 individuals by offering a regular income and stable living environment. Many are saving from stipends and supporting their families. The program comprises health/psychosocial support, counselling and substance abuse reduction. Skills development includes computer literacy at the library; training at Red Security and St John First Aid and, most recently, Mr Cookson organized driving license training for nine in the team. The longterm vision is for permanent employment and housing. Leisure activities include marathons, hiking and playing chess. 

The team is managed by Riedoewaan Galant and are easily identifiable by their black jeans, grey T-shirts and caps and branded GPRRA vests with name cards in their pockets.  We encourage you to engage with them (Mon-Fri 8am-4pm) and hear how the program has changed their lives. Their role is to assist the community with parking, valet as well as clearing litter, removing graffiti, gardening and picking up and documenting needles.

We may not be solving all problems along Main Road but we are transforming 12 lives. We are not able to assist foreigners without papers; the mandate to engage with children lies with DSD Provincial and SAPS are the only ones who can manage those who require psychosocial support.

GPRRA SafeStreet Collective

From the start of January the GPRRA Events Committee has processed over 75 event applications for the Promenade, Stadium, Green Point Park and shared fields as well as the Waterfront area.

Notable among these were various athletics, running, soccer and rugby events as well as the Imagine Dragons Concert, the World Marathon Challenge,  Cape Town Rugby 10s, Formula E racing, Cape Town Cycle Tour and the recent Cape Town Carnival. On 22 April was the huge Monster Jam event at the Stadium, followed by the Spar Women’s Challenge on 23 April.

The audience of the Monster Jam event was bigger than any of the major rugby games, hence the traffic congestion on evening of 22nd. Councillor Ian McMahon spent three hours in the rain to monitor the volumes and was also out appeasing affected residents.

For the morning of 23rd Beach Road in Mouille Point and Sea Point was closed for the Spar Women’s Challenge race. Once again the organizer (as with many running events) did not comply with guidelines to moderate use of loudhailers. 

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