The City of Cape Town on Wednesday released details of its plans for a multimillion-rand ”facelift” for the historic Greenmarket Square — South Africa’s second-oldest public square.
The square, in the heart of Cape Town’s central business district, turns 300 on March 10 2010.
The rejuvenation drive has attracted millions of rands of private investments into the precinct, the city said in a statement.
”The square has played a significant role in the city’s history since the first trading ships berthed in Table Bay in the late seventeenth century and used it as a trading area,” mayoral committee member Simon Grindrod said.
”The city now plans to resuscitate Greenmarket Square into the cultural, social and business hub of Cape Town, which will also act as catalyst for inner-city revival,” he said.
Plans included the ”pedestrianisation” of the square, widening the Shortmarket Street sidewalk, upgrading the ablution block, construction of a concert stage, reconfiguration of the informal trading areas and moves to link it to the 2010 Soccer World Cup ”fan mile”.
Heritage features, such as a slave memorial and original water pump, were also being considered.
The city had already started sprucing up the craft market as part of a broader initiative to regulate informal trading across the city.
Cleaner and safer trading areas would inevitably attract more tourists and investors.
The city’s executive director of economy, social development and tourism, Mansoor Mohamed, said: ”As part of the city’s plans, we will use informal trading as a springboard for emerging entrepreneurs to start their businesses with the aim of growing into the formal economy.”
Eurocape Holdings and the Indian Hotels Company — Asia’s largest hotel group — were investing R300-million in the development of the Taj Palace Hotel, a five-star luxury hotel on the corner of St George’s Mall and Wale Street.
Eurocape Holdings was currently the largest foreign investor in Cape Town’s CBD with its R1-billion Mandela Rhodes Place mixed-use development.
Another major investor, Vunani Properties, was about to launch a destination Jewellery Mall off Greenmarket Square, aimed at tourists and local shoppers.
The mall off Burg Street and Hout Street would consist of a unique ”one-stop shop” of 30 jewellers, featuring local and international designs.
It would house a mix of established retailers as well as provide an ”incubator” for new jewellers.
The group developed The Decks, a R125-million mixed-use development of 18 levels just off the square, as well as the R60-million office redevelopment of 56 Shortmarket Street.
The city’s plans also enjoyed the support of the Cape Town Central Improvement District and the Cape Town Partnership. — Sapa