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The University of Cape Town and Amalgamated Transport Services have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) concerning the transport routes between the Mowbray and Claremont taxi interchanges and the Jammie Shuttle terminus on the Lower Campus.
The coming together of Amalgamated Transport Services and UCT was brokered largely by the Claremont Improvement District Company. “The CIDC has a vested interest in keeping Claremont and surrounds safe and the road system efficient for all commuters,” says Anthony Davies, Executive Manager of the CIDC. “As such, we acted as a facilitator between the Main Road taxi associations and the university, bringing the two parties together in this unprecedented agreement. Fewer private vehicles on the road during peak hours will ensure that transit through Claremont is as smooth as possible, a real benefit to residents and workers alike.”
In terms of the MOU, Amalgamated Transport Services will contract their services to UCT for an exclusive, scheduled and regular service on the route from 6am to 9am during term time. This “peak lopping”, last-mile exercise will allow UCT to meet the increased demand for campus transport by freeing up Jammie buses previously used on the Claremont-Tugwell-Mowbray route and redeploying them on campus, as well as alleviating traffic congestion at peak hours.
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Pictured after the MOU signing are, from left to right: Anthony Davies (Executive Manager of the Claremont Improvement District Company), Ghaalid Behardien (Amalgamated Transport Services), Prof. Martin Hall (Deputy Vice-chancellor, UCT) and John Critien (Executive Director of Properties and Services, UCT) |
The service will commence on 18 February 2008 and will run for a two-year trial period. It will remain a free utility for UCT students and staff only. In terms of the MOU, UCT undertakes to provide driver and management training, oversee public liability insurance and provide “Jammie Shuttle” branding to all participating vehicles. The service level agreement makes provision for strenuous service criteria to be met. Penalties will be in place for non-compliance.
Amalgamated Transport Services was formed from
the Mowbray, Peninsula and Wynberg Taxi Associations. “We are very proud to be associated with an exciting project that has the potential to showcase the taxi industry’s ability and willingness to adapt to new models and upskill our employees,” says Ghaalid Behardien, spokesman of Amalgamated Transport Services.
“The MOU ensures that any service provided by Amalgamated Transport Services complies with the stringent safety and insurance requirements that are currently applied to the Jammie Shuttle service provider. Our primary concerns are the safety of our staff and students in getting to and from our campuses, and relieving traffic congestion and its effects on the Claremont, Rondebosch and Mowbray communities.
We believe that this agreement can be a model for integrated solutions to public transport challenges,” agrees Prof. Martin Hall (Deputy Vice-chancellor of UCT). Behardien concurs that the deal has the potential to kickstart a wider public-transport service within Cape Town. “This is the first case I know of where the taxi industry has entered into a service agreement with an outside party. It represents a normalisation of the industry and shows that an integrated and negotiated approach can benefit the city’s public transport system.”
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Dear Colleagues in Claremont
To you and all the readers of the Claremont Clarion from all of us at the CIDC, we wish you a peaceful and blessed Festive Season. Another year bites the dust and how time flies, especially in the case of the year 2007! During this year we have seen “The Claremont Vision” postulated by our Chairman, Chris Drummond, at a public meeting five years ago in March 2002, now becoming a reality in bricks and mortar.
Cavendish Connect with its bridges and beautifully treed Dreyer Street precinct was opened officially with much fanfare on Friday, 30th November. What a grand metamorphosis from the former Link this is with its absolutely outstanding shopping offerings! Our congratulations to Brenda Bibby, Philip Howes and their team on an outstanding achievement.
Growthpoint’s MontClare Place is rising like a colossus from what not so long ago was the former Pick ‘n Pay building. This is certainly going to be a real landmark building in Claremont. |
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Anthony Davies,
Executive Manager
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The new taxi rank and taxi holding area near the station is operating and phase one of the Claremont Boulevard is well on its way to completion. Hopefully this phase will be operational with the buses and taxis re-routed back off the Main Road via the new road to Stanhope Bridge in the first quarter of 2008. What a relief this will be to the present traffic congestion!
These are all major milestones which the CIDC has been promising you and which are now well on the way to completion, however, not without its challenges. “No pain, no gain” has been our cry. Therefore, we in the CIDC want to thank you, our readers, for your patience in putting up with the inconveniences associated with these construction sites. Especially, we again apologise for the serious traffic congestion along the Main Road in particular, and around Cavendish Square, which we continue to bring to the attention of the City’s Traffic authorities, a serious situation indeed, given their lack of manpower resources. As covered elsewhere in this issue, the CIDC has had considerable success and indeed has been privileged to have been involved in brokering a very promising agreement between the Main Road taxi associations and UCT over the operations of Jammie Shuttle. In spite of the inevitable naysayers, we are confident that this agreement holds the seeds of a very important advance, which we will be vigorously promoting in more orderly operations of the taxi’s operating along our Main Road.
Once again, at the end of an exciting and challenging year and on the threshold of 2008, we continue our commitment to making Claremont a better place for all. Thank your for support.
Anthony Davies
Executive Manager |
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Cavendish Square’s stores have spilled out across Dreyer Street, transforming The Link into Cavendish Connect and adding many more exciting stores. The official opening of the R104-million redevelopment took place on the eve of Friday, 30 November, welcoming international concept stores, fashion boutiques, trend-setting lifestyle emporiums and a range of mouth-watering restaurants and cafes.
The centre was open until 11h00pm for late night trading and shoppers were treated to live entertainment from Goldfish, while roaming entertainment throughout the centre kept shoppers’ and traders’ feet tapping.
The centre’s exterior lighting, imported light-saving LED lights, were turned on with great excitement by Nigel Pierce, Good Hope FM radio personality and Ben Kodisang, Managing Director of Old Mutual Investment Group Property Investments.
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The ‘hot and happening’ band, Goldfish, entertained the crowds at the opening of Cavendish Connect
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On the 22nd November 2007, Orbis Security Solutions celebrated their second anniversary. The company hosted the function, which was attended by over 60 of their clients, at their new premises in Plumstead.
As Orbis has a considerable presence in the Claremont precinct and as part of their social investment programme to support the communities in which they work, a cheque of
R10 000 was presented to Karin Cain of the Claremont Haven Night Shelter, at this function. |
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On Tuesday, 27 November 2007, the Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service, Provincial Commissioner Mzwandile, hosted a Prestige Awards Evening at the Old Mutual Business School Hall in Pinelands.
The Station Commissioner of
SAPS Claremont, Snr. Supt. Gerda Van Niekerk was nominated as the Policewoman of the Year and a runner up in the Station Commissioner of the Year. |
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Brenda Bibby |
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“Business is in my blood”, says Centre Manager for both Cavendish Square and Cavendish Connect, Brenda Bibby, who at the age of 5 became involved in the family furniture business. “The whole family had to chip in to do their bit”, she recalls. Her entrepreneurial streak was evident at a very young age. Brenda relates the story of how her dad handed her R20.00 and instructed her to go out and make a profit, which is exactly what she did. She purchased 4 pairs of shoes from a family member and sold them on, showing a profit of R105.00 on the deal. At 16, whilst still at school, she sold clothing through distribution agents and was so successful that she was able to purchase a luxury car at the age of 18. Brenda’s mother, also an astute businesswoman, had an important influence on her life. She fondly recalls her mom’s favourite saying: “Your name goes where your feet can’t reach”, which, says Brenda, has stayed with her all through the years. “Having acquired essential business skills at an early stage in my life, I have been very work-driven and achievement orientated in my career. When I set my mind on a particular goal, I inevitably attain it.”
Hailing originally from Port Elizabeth, Brenda’s involvement with property began in the 80’s, as her father was very involved in property development. In 1995, she worked as a Property Administrator for Old Mutual for the Eastern Cape region. In 2000 she moved to Cape Town as Old Mutual’s Property Manager for the Western Cape region in the commercial and industrial division, and in 2003 was appointed Regional Property Manager. Her tenure as General Manager at Cavendish Square followed in 2006, with a portfolio that includes ABSA on Grove, Werdmuller Centre, Toffee Lane, Cavendish Close, Cavendish Connect and Cavendish Square.
The biggest challenge, according to Brenda, is working toward a holistic vision for Claremont, in close co-operation with the CIDC, SAPS and other stakeholders, aiming to create a lifestyle destination where people can work, live, shop and play in safety. A further challenge is to ensure that the new Cavendish Connect forms part of the whole Cavendish precinct and that perceptions of the old Link fade into obscurity. “I am very excited about the 2007 festive season as there is so much happening. Claremont is suddenly coming alive and there is so much new on offer, especially with Cavendish Connect coming on-stream”, adds Brenda.
As a people’s person with a great passion for life, Brenda believes that people are of the utmost importance. ”People always come first, always, ” she stresses. Although fiercely independent, Brenda hails from a closely-knit family and is a single parent to a 21-year-old son. During her leisure time Brenda enjoys entertaining friends and family. |
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Growthpoint Property Fund Limited is successfully bringing the newly renamed MontClare Place to the market less than a year after acquiring the former Paramount Towers in Claremont as part of its purchase of Paramount Property Fund Limited.
“We immediately recognized the value of the location and the potential which could be unlocked through a strategic redevelopment,” explains Growthpoint Properties Limited CEO, Norbert Sasse, pointing to MontClare Place’s superb position at the corner of Campground and Main Roads, the gateway into Claremont’s busy business district. |
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The R500-million redevelopment is designed to position MontClare Place as one of the most prestigious and largest mixed-use property developments in Cape Town’s southern suburbs. Currently under construction, the 35,200m2 project will offer a true combination of spaces for people to live, work and play when construction is completed in late 2008, explains Sasse.
As testament to the appeal of the mixed-use design, much of the available commercial space is let. There is only about 1,100m2 of the 16,000m2 of premier-grade offices at the development available for lease. Tenants include blue-chip heavyweights that set the tone for the whole project: Coronation Asset Management, Citadel Investment Services, Kagiso Asset Management and Riscurra Solutions. Virgin Active will take up 2,000m2 for its South African head office, as well as occupying 4,500m2 as a gym. The anchor retail tenant is Pick ‘n Pay, which will be launching their first new-concept store in early 2008. At 6,300m2, the store will take up almost half the development’s 12,600m2 retail component. The Cape Town offices of Growthpoint Properties will also be moving into MontClare Place in August 2008.
And it’s not just the commercial space that’s being snapped up by eager occupiers. “The residential units are selling as fast as the office and retail space is leasing,” reports Sasse. The residential component of 62 apartments, covering almost 6,300m2, is already 70% sold even though the development is only scheduled for completion in a year’s time.
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Claremont can soon look forward to a brand new Virgin Active Health Club that is currently under construction. This will bring the Claremont Virgin Active in line with Virgin Active’s brand new look and feel. The health club will be offering its members state of the art equipment such as Kinesis, Power Plate, Functional Zone, Easy Line Technogym equipment, as well as the entertainment range cardio equipment complete with LCD screens and a Mind and Body Studio, a small European style Aqua Lounge and a Club-V for kids. The Virgin Active head office is also moving into the same building.
The new Claremont club forms part of Virgin Active’s recently announced plans to invest an unprecedented R1.2 billion in its South African operations over the next five years. R750 million of this sum will go into the total upgrade of all existing facilities over the next 36 months, including the supply of brand new state of the art equipment.The balance will be spent on an extensive new build programme that will see around forty new clubs developed over the next 5 years. Coming off a solid seven years in the South African market, Virgin Active is continuing to entrench its position as the leader of holistic health and fitness facilities with the immediate roll out of this in-depth strategy.
Managing Director, Mark Field states: “Worldwide, the health club industry has seen strong growth as more and more people look for a solution to the negative health effects of modern lifestyles. South Africa has seen significant economic growth over the past few years and we are seeing increased demand for health clubs across a broader section of the population. This translates into a need for new health club facilities, as well as a segmentation of our product in order to better serve the market.”
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Field continues, “Virgin Active’s business revolves around its members and our continuing to update our offering and providing our members with world class facilities and the latest fitness products is of paramount importance to the group in growing health club membership in South Africa.”
The Claremont Virgin Active’s construction process is scheduled to be completed in June/July 2008 and will in no small way contribute towards improving the Claremont Central area and its surroundings. |
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Claremont
Improvement District Company
Upper Ground Floor, Stadium on Main
PO Box 24063, Claremont 7735
Tel: (021) 674-0639 Fax: (021) 674 1533
Executive Manager: A H V Davies E-mail: davies@cidc.co.za
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This newsletter
has been compiled and produced on behalf of the CIDC by
The Executive Connection (021) 671 4297 / 082 2241 222
E-mail: executiveconnection@iafrica.com
If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail claremontcentral@iafrica.com
If you wish to unsubscribe to this newsletter please click here |
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