#Green Point Urban Park - Cape Town | Complete

[Mo Rush]

All news, projects and images related to the Green Point Urban Park apart from the Green Point Stadium.




Urban Park plan decision soon

By Leila Samodien

Environment, Planning and Economic Development MEC Tasneem Essop is to decide by next week whether to make last minute amendments to the plan for the recreation park surrounding the Green Point Stadium.

While the public participation process for the building plan of the Green Point Urban Park development has already been completed, Essop held a meeting last night to gather final suggestions from the public.

In contrast to the poorly attended public participation meetings held by the city this year, about 200 people came to the meeting at the Woodstock Town Hall.

Their biggest concern centred on the golf course, which is proposed to take up most of the space surrounding the stadium.

The remaining land will be set aside for a tennis arena, sports fields, informal traders, open recreational space and walkways.

While some said the golf course was a historical landmark that had to be included in the plan, others argued it was an "elitist" club that took up too much space.

After hearing suggestions and concerns, Essop said she would make a decision by December 15 over whether further adjustments would be made to the park plan.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to create a new legacy and future for our children.

Not every single club or group will get exactly what they want in creating this new legacy, but it will be done with sensitivity to all," she said.

Essop added, however, that if changes were made to the plan, it would have to undergo another public participation process, which could take months.

Bokaap Civic Association chairman Osmond Shaboodien attracted jeers from the crowd when he raised concerns that previously disadvantaged sports clubs were not being considered.

"Sports clubs in areas like Bo Kaap and District 6 have had to play on the Cape Flats for years … The lease of the golf course should be reviewed.

"We should look at that little Urban Park to make it viable and accommodate all sports codes," Shaboodien said.

Other residents in Green Point and Sea Point proposed that parts of the Park's outskirts be made "greener", to make the park more attractive.

The representative of the Metropolitan Golf Club, Milton Seligson, said that while there had been many objections to a golf course at the meeting, 73.2% of the public had approved the golf course during the official public participation process.

Published on the web by Cape Argus on December 4, 2007.

[Mo Rush]

If the tennis centre and stadium goes ahead, this will be its location.

image hosted on flickr

[Mo Rush]

WP Tennis: PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2006-2007


We have been at Rondebosch for more than a century and it shows! The whole precinct is looking tired and run down. During the past 4 years we have cemented the courts behind courts 3,4,5 as they were collapsing due to heavy rains. We created parking for 14 more cars by fencing off the centre courts and installing a ramp. This was all cosmetic, as we are still faced with the problem of parking and insufficient office space. Cracks are appearing everywhere, especially in the caretaker’s cottage.


When I took over as President in 2003, and was faced with the enormous Rates and Taxes bill, the run-down state of the whole place and no money to pay for upgrading, I had the place valued. We had a very good offer from developers, and after consultation with an attorney, the matter was presented to you, the Council, for approval. The offer from the developers was then accepted. We looked at many sites, and with the advent of the Greenpoint Stadium, we applied to have our Headquarters at Greenpoint.

It has been a long and tedious process. The City of Cape Town were instructed by the MEC for Environmental Affairs Ms Tasniem Essop to invoke Public Participation. This process will be completed at the end of May and her decision on the reconstruction of the Greenpoint Common will follow thereafter. We have in the meantime had meetings with Greenpoint Tennis Club, Three Anchor Bay T.C. and Swiss Tennis Club, who are presently on the Common.

Hopefully, with the new Headquarters we will be able to host International Tennis in Cape Town.

We will keep you informed of developments.

[DennisRodman97]

how come south africa dont host a tennis tournament like other countries...u host golf tournaments...but not tennis.

[Durbsboi]

We have the Davis Cup.....some times

[Caisson Boy]

Originally Posted by DennisRodman97

how come south africa dont host a tennis tournament like other countries...u host golf tournaments...but not tennis.

It didn't always use to be like this... I remember Jimmy Connors winning the South African Open back in the day...

[SA BOY]

remember Johann Kriek? 2 times winner of the aussie open

[Mo Rush]

things went downhill with tennis in SA many years back. The lack of players in the top flight of tennis does not help.

BUT theres hope. The ATP president is South African and SAA are the sponsors of the ATP tour, so its quite funny that we don't have a major tournament.

I do hope that the Green Point Tennis Centre goes ahead. They should build a fantastic venue, it already has a great location and it could bring great exposure with it for the city and tennis in general.

WP Tennis have already sold the land to developers so unless Essop says NO, they will be moving to Green Point and build a new tennis stadium and centre.

[crazyloca]

Both Davis Cup and Fed Cup (Women) have regularly been held in Durban. Westridge Stadium is a reasonably sized venue although I hardly ever saw it full which is hence probably the reason more events haven't been attracted.
In fact, as a crowd attraction during the breaks they would hold competitions etc and most of the time prizes included tickets to see the next days match!!! (I know because I won)

It's been a long time since the actual stadium has had a revamp though - its used for concerts more often than tennis! The rest of the courts are used daily for school tennis matches and thus kept in good condition. A bit odd I guess, that the surrounding courts are in better condition than the stadium itself....!

[Mo Rush]

Originally Posted by crazyloca

Both Davis Cup and Fed Cup (Women) have regularly been held in Durban. Westridge Stadium is a reasonably sized venue although I hardly ever saw it full which is hence probably the reason more events haven't been attracted.
In fact, as a crowd attraction during the breaks they would hold competitions etc and most of the time prizes included tickets to see the next days match!!! (I know because I won)

It's been a long time since the actual stadium has had a revamp though - its used for concerts more often than tennis! The rest of the courts are used daily for school tennis matches and thus kept in good condition. A bit odd I guess, that the surrounding courts are in better condition than the stadium itself....!

Well tennis in RSA needs an overhaul and it needs to start with major exposure in the form of a regular ATP and WTA event at a great venue.

Our players on the ATP and WTA aren't really close to where Coetzer and Ferreira used to be so theres a big GAP there.

But then again the UK have Wimbledon, the epicentre of tennis and struggle to find players.

We need to find out what the Russian girls eat in Russia. They dominate the top 20 sports in women's tennis.

[DennisRodman97]

Hell even america is trying to find tennis players.....on the women side we only have venus and serena.....and on the men side we only have roddick.

[Durbsboi]

At least you guys have strong academy's there in place, many foriegn talents come through your system, esp from the one in Miami.

[crazyloca]

Virtually all SA's top players go through academy's in the US after school. I know quite a few on university scholarships there....

[Mo Rush]

Originally Posted by crazyloca

Virtually all SA's top players go through academy's in the US after school. I know quite a few on university scholarships there....

problem is by that time its usually too late to make it on the ATP/WTA eventually. there are exceptions of course, but ideally, south african players should move to the US at age 5-6.

[crazyloca]

Originally Posted by Mo Rush

problem is by that time its usually too late to make it on the ATP/WTA eventually. there are exceptions of course, but ideally, south african players should move to the US at age 5-6.

and sending kids at age 5 to US means making US citizens of them. What kid would honestly move country (or even want to represent it) just because they were born there? Can never win.

[DennisRodman97]

so true....look at monica seles she was born in the former yugoslavia...but she became an america citizens...and she represented the u.s instead of serbia.
Each countries need to setup their own project.

[Mo Rush]

Essop rejects draft park plan for Green Point
Lindsay Dentlinger
18 December, 2007
Cape Argus

After five months of consideration, MEC for Environment Tasneem Essop has rejected the City of Cape Town's plan for an urban park on the Green Point common.

[Joop20]

Originally Posted by Mo Rush

Essop rejects draft park plan for Green Point
Lindsay Dentlinger
18 December, 2007
Cape Argus

After five months of consideration, MEC for Environment Tasneem Essop has rejected the City of Cape Town's plan for an urban park on the Green Point common.

Why is this good news? I rather liked the plan for Green Point, or am I missing something?

[Mo Rush]

Originally Posted by Joop20

Why is this good news? I rather liked the plan for Green Point, or am I missing something?

The urban park is good, but there are various elements of the design of the park which aren't good and needs to be reconsidered, especially around balancing the needs for public space and satisfying existing tenants.

The golf course and its configuration eats up a large chunk of the park and can be considered private space, there are tons of golf courses in cape town.

The boulevards and avenues aren't well connected, with the sports fields clumped together because of the golf course configuration. Landscaping details around the park also need consideration as well as access to the park for the public.

[Mo Rush]

Essop rejects park plan for Green Point

More open public space and parking required

By Lindsay Dentlinger

After five months of consideration, MEC for Environment Tasneem Essop has rejected the City of Cape Town's plan for an urban park on the Green Point common.

She has taken a hard line on how she thinks sporting facilities in particular could be better accommodated to allow for more open space.

This includes demolishing the old Green Point stadium completely and moving the athletics track.

The course of the Metropolitan Golf Course should be reduced from a 72-par rating to a 70-par rating and a walking/running track around the golf course periphery should also be included in the design of the urban park.

Essop announced in a press statement today that she had accepted the architectural and landscaping guidelines for the urban park, but after considering all the information and representations made to her by interested and affected parties at a public meeting two weeks ago, she could not accept the urban park plan the city submitted to her in July.

The architectural and landscaping guidelines include what the physical structures will look like, as well as the types of surfaces and trees that will be used, while the urban park plan details the physical location of structures.

Essop is advising that the sporting clubs representing the various sporting codes be consolidated, which would include the sharing of club facilities such as change rooms.

The tennis node should be tightened to allow for more open space accessible to the general public. More public parking should be provided.

Essop's decision does not affect the construction of the Green Point Stadium, but it could cause delays in completing the urban park by 2010 and getting sporting clubs operational as soon as possible.

The golf club is already delayed, having missed the planting season for the greens this year, which would have allowed for a playable course within 18 months.

Council will advertise a revised urban park plan for public comment for 30 days before it is considered for approval and re-submission to Essop. Essop has pledged to take a decision on the amended Site Development Plan within 30 days of receipt.