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Mary Fitzgerald
Square
Launched by President Thabo Mbeki in December 2000, to a 20 000-strong
crowd who were treated to the best of South African jazz, this square
has become a sought after venue for public performances and gatherings.
Originally known as Aaron's Ground and later renamed Mary Fitzgerald
Square, this former wagon site was used for the many strikers' meetings
at the turn of the 20th century. This square lies at the heart of
Newtown. It was renamed Mary Fitzgerald Square in 1939, in honour of
the first woman trade unionist who played a key role in the 1910
miners' strike.
The new square has the capacity for over 50 000 people and provides an
outdoor space for a wide array of activities, including outdoor film
festivals, concerts, markets, carnivals and exhibitions. The square
also boasts the biggest outdoor LED screen on the continent, measuring
55m². Two sky disks are major elements on the square. The first depicts
the stellar constellation as at the birth of Mary Fitzgerald, the
second depicts the constellation as at the first democratic election of
27 April 1994. There is a third, which can be found at the entrance to
the MuseuMAfricA depicting the constellation as at the official launch
of the square on 16 December 2001 - Reconciliation Day. The disks use
unique optic fibre lights that glow in the dark.
Renowned French lighting engineer, Patrick Rimoux was commissioned to
design the lighting for this square as well as for the surrounding
public open spaces. The unique lighting provides essential street
lighting whilst giving the area a distinct ambience.
THE SQUARE
- Constructed at a cost of R15-million, the square has a capacity of
accommodating 50 000 people as well as parking and flea market
facilities.
- The lighting features elements that pay tribute to the
original cooling towers that were once dominant in the Newtown area,
90% of whose components were manufactured in South Africa
- The carved heads, visible throughout the square and the
surrounds, were manufactured by Newtown artists from disused railway
sleepers, depicting the different faces from the African continent.
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