Have your say on the future of Chapel Street

Murals and public art celebrating District Six, green spaces, traffic calming and improved street lighting were just some of the concepts outlined in draft plans for a revitalised Chapel Street area that were displayed during an open day held at the Lydia Centre on Saturday.

As part of the District Six Public Realm Strategy Project of 2022, the City ran six workshops over the past year to devise plans for the future of District Six. The workshops drew on the contributions of urban planners, architects, City and heritage officials as well as various interest groups and representatives of the District Six community known as “caretakers” (“A future District Six takes shape,” Southern Suburbs Tatler, June 16, 2022) and one of the plans that came out of this process was the Chapel Street Project.

Mayoral committee member for spatial planning and environment Eddie Andrews said the Chapel Street project viewed the area as the central spine of an existing community, linking Trafalgar Park to the east of the Zeenatul Islamic Mosque, with the remaining portion of District Six, the new restitution areas and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology to the west.

"The intention is to propose a conceptual design for a resilient and sustainable neighbourhood street,” he said.

Pedestrians and their safety; the variety of institutions and facilities along the route; the planting of trees and other vegetation to draw people outside; and traffic-calming measures were some of the things the project considered, he said.

“We are calling on the local community and other residents to comment on this process, as, in the end, Chapel Street is the community’s asset."

The stretch of Chapel Street from Hanover Street to the Russell Street traffic circle is home to District Six claimants who received restitution for being forcefully removed from the area under apartheid. The stretch from the other side of the Russell Street circle leading to Searle Street is home to that part of District Six that did not see evictions.

According to Nadiema Safter, chairwoman of the District Six Foundation and one of the caretakers for the Chapel Street project, the area connects communities, and the project is an opportunity for all District Six residents to get involved.

"Many of the District Six residents who were not evicted were not recognised as a community,” she said.

But Asa Salie, the chairwoman of the District Six Civic Association, believes that claimants who are still awaiting restitution should first be returned to District Six before the City makes plans for Chapel Street.

“The City should have rather arranged a big meeting in the City town hall to invite all awaiting claimants to share their views on the project.”

The City should also pay more attention to the growing number of homeless people in the area as proposed public benches would be taken over by them, and it should build a recreational centre if it wanted to do something to benefit the community, she said.

“A recreational centre can be a benefit to the youth, the seniors and provide skills development."

Ward 115 councillor Ian McMahon, who was at the open day, said, "People have a generation of knowledge and local history, and thus any changes must be by agreement and input from those living there, and any changes should have a positive impact on the community."

Ward 77 councillor Francine Higham said: “These projects are about focusing on the public spaces around the residential areas and businesses. This process will also take under consideration residents that are awaiting restitution to return to District Six."

Sheila Reddy, who has lived in Gray Street, District Six, for more than 30 years said she was excited about the project. “It was clearly explained to me, and this project can only help make the community greener and take Chapel Street further,” she said. However, Nadiema Oostendorp, a former District Six resident now living in Lavender Hill, had reservations. “If the City is going to upgrade Chapel Street with new trees and benches, how are the elderly people going to afford the rates and water bills?"

The draft concept designs for Chapel Street can be viewed on the City’s website. Friday June 30 is the deadline for comments. To submit them, visit the City’s website, email Public.Participation@capetown.gov.za or deliver them to the Sub-council 16 Office, 11th Floor, 44 Wale Street, Cape Town.