Cafe Culture Upgrade for Greenmarket Square Begins

A newly configured market, a stage, revamped ablution facilities and improved perimeter facilities are key elements of the upgrade

Greenmarket Square in central Cape Town, which celebrates its 300th anniversary in March 2010, is being upgraded into a special, active and people-friendly space with a newly configured market, a stage, revamped ablution facilities and improved perimeter facilities that will enhance the "Cape Café" experience.

The upgrading of Greenmarket Square is divided into two phases.

Phase 1 includes:

- Iinstalling additional CCTV cameras and pedestrian lights,

- Lifting the existing granite cobbles, cleaning them and relaying the cobbles at new levels to incorporate Shortmarket Street and Greenmarket Street, to ensure that it is more even for pedestrians and to create a more seamless interface with the outdoor areas of the restaurants surrounding the square,

- Installing new bollards, benches, interpretive signage and

- Paving the existing sidewalks

The construction of phase 1 is well under way. The upgrading process will be divided to accommodate both construction and market activities.

The upgrading of the first half of the square will be completed by 21 September 2009. The market will then move over to the newly upgraded half adjacent to the restaurants which will then be open to the public.

From 21 September 2009, a section of Longmarket Street (between Long and Burg Street) will be temporarily closed to traffic, but one way traffic will be accommodated from Burg Street down to Adderley Street. This measure is necessary for the construction to take place.

Phase 2 includes upgrading the existing ablution facility. A stage will replace the existing roof of the ablution block to accommodate special events like lunch time concerts.

A heritage consultant, landscape architect and civil engineer have been appointed by the City of Cape Town to assist with the design, approval, tender and construction process. Designs for the square and ablution block have been submitted to Heritage Western Cape for approval.

Some progress has been made on the second phase of the project, which will focus on upgrading the ablution block. Drawings were submitted to Heritage Western Cape and it approved the proposals subject to a 14 day appeals period during which the public can submit appeals to them. Drawings for the ablution block will be presented and ground rules for the future functioning of the stage will be discussed.

Tenders for upgrading the ablution block are currently being evaluated and a tender will be awarded before the end of September 2009, for work to start in October 2009.

Phase 1 and 2 will be completed by the end of November 2009 unless appeals are received.

"This facelift for the popular Greenmarket Square is long overdue and comes just in time to present a fresh and upgraded space to 2010 visitors to the CBD, " says Cllr J P Smith, Chairperson of the Good Hope Subcouncil.

"With the expanded space for a café society environment along Shortmarket Street, the improved paving and sidewalks and the upgraded toilet facilities and lighting, this is sure to be a popular destination and events space next year."

The Greenmarket Square traders, with assistance from the City of Cape Town, will continue to trade from a temporary site in the Company’s Garden (Government Avenue) during the construction period from 18 May 2009 to the end of November 2009.

For more information on the temporary relocation of the Greenmarket Square Market, please contact Janice Adams (Economic Development Department, City of Cape Town) on Tel 021 400 2808

Source: City of Cape Town

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