The Chairman’s Report for the financial year ended 30 June 2005

1. Introduction

The year under review to June 2005 has indeed been exciting and momentous for the Claremont Improvement District. It was during this year, sparked by the announcement that The Claremont Boulevard Project was going ahead, that various major property acquisitions and conversions of existing commercial properties into apartment blocks were also announced. These developments are expected to have a significant and positive effect for all our stakeholders in the Claremont CBD.

2. Board Meetings

During this year the CIDC Board of Directors has met seven times with the following Directors serving on our Board:

1. David Stoll of Investec Property Group as Chairman
2. Hanief Tiseker of the City of Cape Town
3. Paul Williamson of the City of Cape Town
4. Mandy Bellamy of Cavendish Square
5. Riyadh Davids of Cavendish Square  
6. Gavin Hiscock of Rand Merchant Bank
7. Chris Farley of Trafalgar Property Management
8. Nicholas Piper of Spire Properties.

3. The Year Under Review

3.1 Claremont Boulevard Project
In July 2004 The Claremont Boulevard Project was announced at a special Public Meeting. This is a R46 million partnership between the City of Cape Town, who are responsible for the funding and construction of the Taxi and Bus Interchange, budgeted at R24 million and the CIDC who will raise R22 million to build the roadworks (previously on the City’s drawing boards for over forty years since the sixties). The Boulevard has been of major importance and prominence throughout the year under review. No less than 96% of our ratepayers voted in favour of this project, which is in the capable hands of our Project Leader and former Chairman, Chris Drummond.

3.2 The Integrated Land Use Study for the Claremont CBD
This, also an important study, has also received considerable attention and is planned to follow on from the construction phase of The Boulevard. Peter de Tolly, a former City Planner, with extensive experience, has been appointed as our Consultant to deal with this project, which is also incorporated into Chris Drummond’s portfolio of responsibility.

3.3 Property Development in the Claremont CBD
Of great interest is the fact that in the region of R1,5 billion is being invested in capital projects in the Claremont CBD. The following list is impressive, providing as it does, a major vote of confidence in the operations of the CIDC out on the street in the public space:

1. A new Toyota motor dealership in Dreyer Street
2. Library development by Corevest – phase 1 and phase 2
3. Motor vehicle showroom developed by Marcel Angel on the corner of New Stanhope Road and the Main Road
4. Rand Merchant Bank’s Stanhope Bridge development around the existing FNB Bank on the Main Road
5. Seven Miles South on the former ABSA site, also on the Main Road
6. Station Square area has been demolished for the Taxi Interchange – with a new Health Clinic now constructed and operating around the corner in Old Stanhope Road
7. The Claremont Apartments four-tower block building between Draper Street and Stegmann Road on the Main Road
8. Intaba East is going ahead being converted into residential apartments in Corwen Street. This was the former Norwich Union Head Office building
9. Chris Wolfe’s Brooke Street development – a 10-storey mixed use block
10. The Pick ‘n Pay Head Office building is proposed for a major refurbishment by Paramount Properties
11. Other refurbishments and ongoing sales of CBD buildings are currently taking place

3.5 Dreyer Street Informal Trading
This unsightly street between Cavendish Square and The Link has continued to be a challenge to the CIDC. I am glad to report that resulting from ongoing negotiations, largely between the City of Cape Town, Old Mutual Properties (owners of Cavendish Square and The Link) and with the CIDC, that progress has been made which will be reported separately.

3.6 Management of the Main Road Taxis
During the year under review two important advances in the endeavours to bring better management of taxi operations along the Main Road took place. Firstly, five dedicated additional embayments were constructed along the Main Road by the Council for taxis to pull in to pick up and drop off passengers. This was followed by the establishment of the Claremont Regional Disciplinary Committee. This Committee sits regularly to decide on suitable punishments for erring taxi drivers with power to issue warnings, fines, suspensions or dismissals.

The CIDC, together with the three taxi associations are continuing to address the problem of indiscipline along the Main Road.

3.7 Parking and Kerbside Parking Marshals
Recently, with the advent of professionally trained and uniformed parking marshals, the nuisance of informal car guards is a thing of the past with well-managed kerbside parking taking place in Claremont.

The CIDC are also overseeing parking in the Newry Street and Draper Square public parking areas.

3.8 Homelessness
When we commenced our services in 2000 this was a major challenge with upwards of fifty of these children rampaging around on our streets. The CIDC now specifically supports the work of City Mission who successfully manages the ongoing problem of street children in our CBD. Thanks to the compassionate intervention of their staff, this problem has been drastically and effectively reduced with a monthly average of around five children on our streets.

U-Turn, the adult homeless ministry of St Stephens Church, is also supported by the CIDC. They operate out of their building in Fir Street behind Pick ‘n Pay and seek to care for the adult homeless population on our streets.

Both these organisations each receive R10 000,00 monthly and act as our service providers in this important social problem of homelessness.

3.9 Security and Cleaning
We are very proud of our team of 27 security patrol staff and 17 cleaners operating, together with the SAPS and City officials on our streets, 24 hours a day and who continue to do excellent work to maintain safety and cleanliness on our streets.

3.10 The Perception Survey
In November and December last year Urban Inc conducted an in-depth survey of targetting user groups on the one hand and property owners and tenants on the other. The general perception of the CIDC was very good especially from the perspective of property owners and tenants. The user groups in general felt that the CIDC has a positive impact. This 58-page document is available on application to our office.

4. Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my fellow directors for their support and commitment to the CIDC. On their behalf I would also like to thank in particular Chris Drummond and Anthony Davies (our Executive Manager) for the dedicated manner and enthusiasm with which they carry out their responsibilities.
The contributions of the following entities are similarly valued :-

Our service providers: Group 4 Securicor, City Mission, U-Turn
Our consultants: HHO Africa, Peter de Tolly
The City of Cape Town: its officials and politicians
Our levy paying ratepayers: for their continued financial support
Our pro-bono auditors: PKF (Newlands), formerly Fisher Hoffman
Our staff: Charl Brooks and others

Congratulations to all on a job well done.       

5. The Future

With construction of The Claremont Boulevard and the Public Transport Interchange at the Claremont Station, the completion of construction of the new apartment buildings bringing upwards of 1500 residents into our CBD, and the urban upgrading initiatives, the outlook for the public space of the Claremont Improvement District, is indeed very encouraging.

The CIDC, its board of Directors and Staff look forward to this year of 2006 and into 2007 with confidence as we continue our services to all the stakeholders of the Claremont CBD from our informal traders, the shoppers and major national corporate property owners, seeking to make Claremont a better place for all.

DS Stoll
Chairman
Claremont Improvement District Company
27 March 2006