Projects Update Citichat 8 May 1999

Citichat 13/99 – 8 May 1999


Inner City Projects Update

I have been wanting to do an update on the status of various city projects for some time. Which reminds me that I wrote a couple of weeks ago about how city-work is akin to being on a roller coaster and so much is happening at the moment to make me reflect further on that comment.

I had started to think that the lows were caused entirely by PEOPLE, their personal agendas, rigid perceptions and petty self-interest. On the other hand, I reflected, the highs were caused by PROJECTS and EVENTS that somehow transcended all these human frailties. Of course that is just so much self-pitying rubbish because it is equally people who are behind the projects and events.

That came home to me so forcibly at a high level gathering this week to focus on that hoary chestnut, Newtown: what it could practically be, what part it can play in the rebirth of the city, what steps need to be taken to make it a reality and how soon can we start! Not ‘where it is going’ because that is passive but ‘what it can become’, not ‘if’ but ‘ by when’! What was so exciting for me was the presence of a strong nucleus of like-minded people who are essentially ‘doers’ and who have been quietly building track records of success on projects in the city that belie the prognostications of the pessimists and doom artists that make our work so much more difficult. More about Newtown some other more appropriate time, but my confidence in the future of the city is built around such people and their ability, and not just enthusiasm, to turn projects into reality. Back then to an update on some of the current projects:

*Jack Mincer Taxi Rank and Retail Facility (now known as Park Central) - the facility was opened on the 3rd of February and the taxis were relocated and the rank operational by the 28th February.

*Park City taxi rank - the deck over the railway line on the south-east portion of Park City is complete and detailed design work for the top structure has commenced. The rank is planned to cater for 1800 taxis serving 130 destinations and catering for 40 000 passengers, month peak. The holding (parking) and stacking (queuing) facilities will be catered for by utilising the currently largely unused municipal parking garage at the corner of Harrison and de Villiers Streets and providing dedicated taxi lanes in de Villiers Street.

*The design is complete for the construction of an inter-nodal facility for rail, busses and taxis at and the upgrading of the existing station at Westgate together with the development of an informal trading market. Finance has been secured and the project will commence almost immediately.

*Funding for the detailed design of the Metromall project has been secured and final planning underway for the constructuion of this multi-purpose transportation facility.

*The Western Joubert Park Precinct Pilot Project has moved up a gear with the appointment of a Precinct Manager whilst the work on direct billing for water and the crime prevention project in the area are progressing well.

*the High Court or Legal Precinct has been established and incorporated into the Central Improvement District and detailed design work for the area has started.

*the redesign of the Civic Precinct is in its early stages with some interesting possibilities currently under investigation.

*the lease agreement for the Rissik Street Post office conversion into an upmarket hotel is being finalised

*the pedestrianisation of Main Street between West and MacLaren Streets and the urban upgrading of the area is scheduled to be started in June

*the bus holding facility at Wemmer East Parking Ground is under construction and will be complete by 21 March allowing construction to start on the redevelopment of the van der Bijl Bus Terminus

*the detailed design framework for the Albert Street Precinct development will be finalised by the end of April.

*A number of housing units are at various stages of planning with construction due to start relatively soon on some of them.

The emphasis on public transport projects is in line with its identification as a priority for 1999. The investigative work on public transport will result in the development of specific proposals between May and June and implementation from July. A programme for inner city taxi management will also be developed in June for implementation in July.

Work on the Spatial and Economic Frameworks is also moving apace and these should be ready for release towards the end of this month or early April.