ONE of the key pillars of regeneration is a commitment to strong urban
management. It is through the building of a strong sense of civic pride through
a combination of community programmes, ensuring services are consistently
provided and enforcing by-laws that the inner city will be able to grow into a
place where people can live, work and enjoy themselves.
The inner city has had a dynamic history, growing from mining town to a
thriving commercial centre. In the past it was home to many of the flagship
branches of the countries largest chain stores and boutiques. Included among its
occupants were the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the financial institutions.
The inner city was also the setting of many entertainment venues, including
theatres and exclusive nightclubs.
Over time, however, the inner city followed the trend of many cities
around the world many of its most influential tenants moving out of the inner
city to burgeoning centres elsewhere. The vacuum left saw the inner city falling
into decay.
While there have been efforts to reverse this, they have been
inconsistent and have not been co-ordinated.
However, some areas of the inner city have indeed been successfully
revived - such as Braamfontein,
Constitution Hill, the Fashion District, Main Street, Metro Mall, Mary Fitzgerald Square, Faraday Taxi
Rank, the Nelson Mandela Bridge,
and Newtown. Furthermore, many of the
inner city buildings have been revamped, creating desirable places in which to
live.
In addition, the private sector has set up City Improvement Districts (CIDs) in
certain parts of the inner city in an attempt to protect and enhance property
investments. The CIDs have helped with cleaning up the environment and improving
safety and security in the neighbourhood. Where the private sector has taken
such proactive steps, or where the City has worked with the private sector,
there has been a marked improvement in the environment and this has had a ripple
effect, encouraging investment and development and improving perceptions.
The City is determined to build on n the success of regeneration efforts
so far.
The urban management initiatives cover several issues:
Related stories:
City to spend millions on inner city facelift
Bad
management is responsible for much of the decay in the inner city. But the good
news is that the City has plans and the money to stop the rot in its tracks
through a regional urban management plan, the Inner City Summit hears.
Read more
Spring blitzes air out inner city
In the first of
many clean-ups, long-forgotten corners of the inner city are being swept and old
buildings aired out as part of an intensive make-over plan for the next five
years.
Read more
City agencies spruce up the inner city
Joburg's
various entities have joined forces to maintain the environment in and around
the inner city; in the spirit of the Inner City Urban Regeneration
Charter.
Read more
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