Capital Collective Newsletter – August 2016
In this edition:
- Open Mic Conversations – Monthly Networking Event
- Market@theSheds – Pretoria’s own inner city Art, Design, Music and Food market
- The Mandela Day Capital Cleanup – Walkerspruit and the Apies River
- Fête de la Musique – Music Festival in Sunnyside
It’s been quite a year so far! Winter’s all but over and the elections have caused all sorts of winds to blow over us.
Despite all the changes, life goes on in the capital and the reality remains that it’s up to all of us (not just a selected few) to create the city we want to live in.
City regeneration requires the commitment of a large number of “investors” at different levels and from different backgrounds to share the collective goals of re-launching the city and regional economy. Most importantly, community involvement and buy-in is key.
Like in many cities all over the world, the people of the capital city of South Africa have realised the importance of city revitalisation, growth and development. Various initiatives are taking shape to make the inner city more liveable, resilient and inclusive and many individuals and organisations have worked hard to make things happen. It is wonderful to see these changes taking effect, perspectives slowly changing and visitors trickling back into the city.
The Capital Collective provides an opportunity for individuals and organisations to become involved with development projects, be part of a collective effort and be able to create meaningful results in the city.
Capital Collective Projects is a non-profit company and PBO driving Public-Private &Community Partnerships (PPCP) in aid of the rejuvenation of Pretoria inner-city. It has various projects on the table focused on different areas that need attention such as social cohesion, safety, the environment, local economy, arts, culture and more.
The aim of this newsletter is to keep you up to date with recent projects and opportunities.
As an important role-player in the city, your voice, actions and support help to make the capital evolve and its rejuvenation become a success story. We hope to see you at the next Open Mic!
Market@theSheds Mandela Day Capital Fête de la Musique,
Driving art and Clean Up Sunnyside
economic Creating Awareness for Celebrating Music
development the Walkerspruit with more than 220
in the city. Eco Re-Cycling Route cities over the world.
The Capital Collective’s Open-Mic Conversations a networking and information sharing event for people and organisations interested in the rejuvenation of Pretoria’s CBD, took place on the 17th of August 2016. The evening was attended by about 50 people, interacting and sharing information about initiatives and projects in the city. The first speaker of the evening was Professor Amira Osman, a Sudanese/South African architect/lecturer/researcher, who is currently an associate professor in architecture at the University of Johannesburg. Prof. Osman is leading an NRF/UJ funded research project titled “Harnessing innovation in the service of sustainable human settlements: continued explorations into the 4th dimension in design and technical decision-making in the South African residential sector”. She highlighted that as a resident of Pretoria, she is keen to see the city develop for the better. Prof. Osman believes that the architectural profession has a critical role to play in the achievement of human settlements that are more equitable, more beautiful and more functional – human settlements that increase opportunities, offering people a better chance at improving their lives and livelihoods. The belief that the profession has the potential to offer both technical and social expertise towards these aims is the driving force behind Prof. Osman research projects and in her professional roles. Serious food for thought.
The next speaker was the young and dynamic Yetunde Dada who describes herself as a social innovator based in Pretoria. She has lived in Pretoria for most of her life and completed an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and a postgraduate honours degree in Technology Management at the University of Pretoria. She spoke about her campaign Make South Africa Great in which she aims to engage young people to step up to solve social problems through CRNCH, a project which teaches young people design skills. She also drives Our Friends, a website which features African creative content and innovation. If we can get more people with such a positive attitude, we will definitely be on the winning track!
Marianne de Klerk, architect and Fulbright Scholar with two Masters degrees from MIT, spoke about a vision for underutilised fabric in the inner city of Pretoria considering the TPA block on Church Square. The TPA block is bounded by WF Nkomo street, Bosman Street, Pretorius Street and Parliament Street housing significant buildings such as Cafe Riche, the Law Chambers, the Netherlands Bank, the Capitol theatre and the Transvaal Provincial Administration Building. The goal of this project is to develop use and heritage strategies for underutilised building and blocks, whilst activating adjacent public space and introducing catalytic uses in the inner city. Very insightful and needed in our city planning.
The Open-Mic Conversations is a monthly event which provides an opportunity for stakeholders to meet face-to-face, to present, learn more and explore projects in the city. The aim is to stimulate conversation and collaboration – about bringing people together that want to invest, share ideas, drive projects, sponsor or support new initiatives in the city.
The next Capital Collective Open-Mic Conversation will be held on the evening of the 21st of September 2016. Venue to be confirmed. RSVP at info@capitalcollective.co.za.
Inner-City Art, Design, Food and Music
Market@theSheds is the longest running project of the Capital Collective and is the Capital’s celebration of Art, Food, Design and Music, aimed at drawing people back into the city centre. It is hosted at 012central, the trendy multi-space precinct by Cityproperty, in Pretoria CBD. It sometimes also pops-up at various other locations in and around the city. Since it’s opening in October 2014, it has been held at 012Central, the Pretoria Country Club (with the Tshwane Open), the old Moyo building in Fountains Valley and the old Pretoria Fire Station.
It’s aim is to create a highly, sought-after arts and culture attraction in the inner city of Pretoria, but also to develop arts, culture and the economy in the city. The market not only wants to provide a platform for local artists, designers, musicians and crafters to showcase their good, it wants to give traders training and development opportunities to grow their businesses.
The market has grown from strength to strength with more than 1000 visitors per market. It is fast becoming one of the most popular events in the city, especially with foreign visitors.
This month’s market, happening this Saturday the 27th of August, will feature The Parlotones, who will be sharing the stage with a wonderfully diverse group of local musicians, these include Jon Delinger, Ruby Gill,Mo and the Black Peppers Band, Mkizwana Ensemble, Jon Shaban and The Shamrocks.
012Central is located next to the State Theatre and SA Reserve Bank at 381 Helen Joseph Street.
- Free and Safe 012Central Parking is located at 216 Sisulu Street and provides direct access to the market space. https://goo.gl/maps/rap6ZTf7MCT2
- When parking at the State Theatre, the pedestrian entrance to 012Central is at 381 Helen Joseph Street (140m East of Sisulu Street).
Follow Market@theSheds on Facebook to known more: https://www.facebook.com/marketatthesheds
#Discover the True Colours of the Capital!
Mandela Day Capital Clean Up
Capital Collective in conjunction with Urbanvest Property, Sunnyside Caretakers Forum, Arcadia CID Walkerspruit CID, SAPS Youth Desk, Homeless Solutions, Tsogo Sun, Earthworld Architects, the City of Tshwane and many others, cleaned up part of the Walkerspruit and Apies River in the Pretoria CBD as their contribution to Mandela Day.
Pretoria is the capital city and is home to some of the most beautiful sites, though lately many places are overshadowed by litter and urban degeneration, especially in the city centre. Mandela Day created an opportunity for residents of Tshwane to clean up their own backyard and to show off the beauty of the Jacaranda city. Ultimately the aim was to create awareness of the current state of the walking and cycling zone along the rivers and to get support for the proposed Walkerspruit Eco Re-Cycle Route.
The cleaning took place around the Walkerspruit & Apies River, stretching from Brooklyn Mall through Magnolia Dell, Sunnyside, the Caledonian Club, and Nelson Mandela Boulevard and up to Edmond Street in the CBD.
Companies were challenged to make this part of their Corporate Social Investment programmes and encourage their employees to volunteer. Some of the participating organisations also sponsored clean-up stations.
The Aim Of The Capital Clean Up:
- To create awareness of the current state of one of the city’s finest resources.
- To call for an on-going maintenance plan of the area
- To create awareness for the proposed Walkerspruit Eco Re-Cycle Route.
Irrespective of numerous master plans in the past, the Walkerspruit-Apies River Spine remains an eyesore and a missed opportunity in the city. Although it is the shortest route between the city centre and Brooklyn, crime and filth has caused pedestrians and commuters to avoid it. It is severely poluted and attracts vagrants and drug related problems, which has had a detrimental effect on the community and safety of the area.
In an attempt to upgrade this neglected zone, a private public partnership was proposed to council to develop the route into a community asset and positive space in the city.
This Walkerspruit Eco Re-Cycle Route would entail:
- properly landscaped areas and parks, contributing respite and beautification;
- an eco-transport system, encouraging pedestrian movement and cycling;
- and a recycling network with en route recycling depots, creating much-needed employment, addressing social sustainability and mobilising community participation.
The Fête de la Musique
World Music Day or the Festival of Music, is a popular and FREE music festival taking place each year on 21 June, the shortest night/day of the year. Throughout the world, jazz, soul, funk, rock, electro, reggae, classical music and many other musical styles are celebrated with vigorous enthusiasm. This international event was hosted for a second time in the capital on 18 June 2016, by the Capital Collective, the Alliance Francaise de Pretoria, Sunnyside East Residents Association and the Capital Arts Revolution.
Fête de la Musique’s purpose is to promote music in two ways:
– Amateur and professional musicians are encouraged to perform in the streets, under the slogan “Faites de la musique” (“make music”, a homophone of Fête de la Musique).
– Many free concerts are organized, making all genres of music accessible to the public. Two of the caveats to being sanctioned by the official Fête de la Musique organization in Paris are that all concerts must be free to the public, and all performers donate their time for free. This is true of most participating cities as well.
The festival does not have any artistic management; rather it is based on the public’s participation. Some people make performance venues available, others make their music, and everyone comes to listen, dance, and celebrate. It drives community particpation and the development of arts and culture. Sunnyside, where the event was hosted, provided the perfect backdrop for the diverse and rich flavours of our city.
The Fête de la Musique first began in 1982 in France to give exposure to the large number of musicians in the country. Since its creation, the music festival has become an international phenomenon and is celebrated in no less than 340 cities in the world in 110 countries.