All the details are in this PDF doc (hard to extract, it’s a scan of a printed letter).

OldQuarry_plan

This is sad for Woodstock – which needs vibey venues – although there had been numerous complaints about Don Pedros holding live music nights when it’s liquor license did not allow this, and loud, rowdy behaviour by its patrons in the streets in early hours of the morning. Attempts by UWRA to engage with manager, Vernon Cupido, by email and letter were not responded to.

The Facebook posts from the Don Pedro’s page on Facebook were:

Sad sad news. Don Pedros has been forced to close its doors due to the fact that new management can’t pay debts incurred by the previous management. We apologise for any inconvenience. We hope that you’ll continue to party in the spirit of Don Pedros wherever you are…
Like · · Share · 2 November at 18:04 via Mobile ·

Our favourite cultural hotspot is under threat of being closed in the next week or so. Join the Don Pedro family this weekend in an attempt to keep everyones favourite restaurant open.
Drink specials all weekend. Don’t forget about open mic on Sunday
Like · · Share · 2 November at 21:48 ·

Reprieve…for now.
We need as much support from all of u to keep Don Pedros open. As of tomorrow, November 3rd, we’ll be serving breakfast from 9.30am till 4pm. We’ll have traffic Jam from 3pm onward, with drink specials. We need as much support as possible over the weekend.
Come support Don Pedro’s. more info call 0214476152 …
Like · · Share · 2 November at 22:37 via Mobile ·

The main arterial roads out of the City are jam-packed at rush hour. The billions spent on the N1 and N2/M3 upgrades have seen little or no change in the daily bumper-to-bumper rivers of cars trying to flee the City after work. Upper and Lower Main Roads (oh, ok, Albert and Victoria) are two lanes wide, but barely passable with double-parked cars and stopped taxis and people driving like brainless cows.

So what’s new? Well, the increasing hordes rat-running through Woodstock, Walmer Estate and University Estate to get around the sclerotic arterials. City of Cape Town’s Roads Department is looking to do something about it after years of increasingly strident complaints from residents and civic bodies. Ward Councillor Brett Herron organised a public meeting at the Civic Centre to allow the Roads Dept to explain the results of their study, and what they proposed to do about it on Tues 8th Nov.

There are four main routes for rat-running: all start at the Chester Road entrance at the edge of District Six, and variously run along Upper Cambridge Rd, along Chester and into Coronation, exiting either to the M3 via Upper Roodebloem or onto the N2 at the Holiday Inn, or via Roodebloem onto the N2; or the extremely twisty Searle-Warwick-Hay-Mountain Road run. There are other routes, but these are the biggies in terms of clear rat-runners (rather than local residents returning home).

Turning Nerina into a one-way has helped a lot to reduce speeding and rat-running past the school and clinic, but there are still many vehicles that ignore the one-way and take a chance.

The stunningly lacklustre performance of Traffic Services (aka “the traffic police”) is not helping – under-resourced, under-managed and under-whelming, Cape Town’s law enforcement on the roads is spotty at best, so any solution needs to assume visible policing will not be central.

Possible Solutions

Sean Glass of the Transport Department (don’t forget Cllr Herron is Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads & Stormwater, so this may explain some action happening here at last) gave a presentation, with two main options:

• Option 1: A boom across Chester Road from Keizersgracht between 16h00 and 18h00 – this would require a boom be built, and manned every day. This would prohibit any vehicles except emergency vehicles and government ministers late for sunset drinkies entering Woodstock during peak hours. Not great if you’re a Woodstock/WE/UE resident, and requires substantial cap-ex and op-ex spend.
• Option 2:Regulatory signage – essentially a no-entry sign at the Chester Road entrance for 16h-18h00 – this is cheaper, but requires regular law enforcement at a very busy intersection. Also a major inconvenience for locals coming home.
• Option 3: Regulatory signage ‘inside’ the suburb to allow freer movement for locals, but makes rat-running difficult. No-entry signs 16h-1800 would be placed on Upper Melbourne Road prohibiting entry into Coronation, Chester and Eden Roads, and on Upper Mountain stopping passing through Rhodes Ave. A further no-entry 16h-18h00 would be placed where Queens Road enters Hat Street. A ‘no right turn 16h-18h00 would be placed at the bottom of Upper Mountain to stop access to Roodebloem Rd onramps to the N2.

What do you think? Council wants to get feedback by latest end-November, so Email word@woodstock.org.za or visit the WoodstockZa Facebook page (please don’t paste into the Group, it needs to be shut down and everything moved to the Page).

With regard to other hot-spots for residents, especially those with speedster probelms, Upper Cambridge Road has had traffic calming measures (essentially speed bumps) approved and is now waiting funding (which may take six months or more). Other roads (Mountain, Roberts, etc) are being considered for more traffic calming.

In terms of enforcement, Cllr Herron acknowledged the terrible state of Traffic Services generally in Cape Town, and said it is being addressed (although no specifics forthcoming). What will help is that two neighbourhood Safety Officers per Ward are being put in place. This sounds good, although Ward 57 is most of the City Bowl suburbs, so a massive, densely populated area. These two should start work in the next few months once training is done. Metro Police have also motivated that reservists be authorised to issue tickets in their areas for illegal parking, etc. This could make a big difference to easing congestion and tempers.

So – look at the proposals, give it a think, give your feedback. To see the proposed rat-traps in Option 3, check here (click for full-size version).

The situation has developed as many feared – despite the owners/operators of Hoodwinx and Don Pedros making assurances that they would do their utmost to operate according to liquor licence legislation, both establishments have been continuing to operate illegally (or at least semi-illegally). Don Pedros has also seen numerous complaints from neighbours because of noise and disturbance.

This is going to be a long battle – the conflicting desires of people wanting to party versus people wanting to sleep, and the obvious profit motive of bar owners wanting to sell more booze. UWRA’s position is that entertainment establishments are good, with the proviso that some very reasonable limits be observed – not serving people outside on the side roads and keeping noise down after 11pm.

We need bar owners to come to the party on this one, which they’re not doing.

NEWS UPDATES

Swimming Pool Development

You’ve probably seen the landscaping work going on at the old Queenspark Swimming Pool site. This is the first step of returning the land to the community as a “quality public open place”. Details are a bit thin, but the rough sketches seen from Council show it will be grassed with trees and a hedge on the ‘downhill’ side, and some steel benches. Completion expected by February 2011.

Fibre Under Your Noses

The trenching all over Woodstock is the work of Vodacom, building out its fibre infrastructure. Good news for the business parks a few miles away, but don’t hold your breath for some decent Internet access in Woodstock. It’s just passing through.

Milner Road Streets Lit

After weeks of nagging, residents of Milner Road are finally lit again after a fire at an electricity pole plunged the streets into darkness, making it quite unsafe. If you have a problem with streetlights, the more people that lodge fault reports the better – call 0800 220 440 or email power@capetown.gov.za.
 

WOODSTOCK NEIGHBOURHOOD PATROL

Reduce crime, have a nice walk, meet your neighbours

The Woodstock Neighbourhood Patrol happens this week — Wednesday, 8th December. It’s being coordinated by Nils Hansen, who can be reached on 082 5382101.

Date: Wed 8th December 2010

Time: 8pm for an hour or so

Where: Roedeblom Rd at the church opposite Parker’s Cafe

Bring: Torch if you like, reflective bib (if you have one), dog (on a leash) if you like

Frangipanis Reopens In January

Woodstockers have been watching the construction and renovation going on at the old Frangipanis restaurant building with mounting excitement – first it was torn apart, then giant concrete beams added, and windows redone, and a second floor added… what was going to happen to this landmark of our suburb?

The good news is that early in the new years the new, bigger, better, brighter Frangipanis opens.

It’s been a labour of love for the new majority owner, Sandy, a Woodstock resident of thirty years, along with manager Paul, who was a fixture of the “old” Frangipani and now a partner in the business (he’s also a ten year ’Stock veteran).

Another familiar face from before is Gairo, and the team is joined by a young new chef, who has worked at a few venues including the Lord Charles and recently the Old Biscuit Mill.

The idea is pretty much in line with what went before – it’s a daytime estblishment, open from 7:30am to 6:00pm, serving breakfasts and sandwiches, with a ‘home cooked’ style buffet for lunch: meat and vegetarian curries, stews and soups, roasts, pastas.

Sandy’s main brief is quality and fair value for money.

The new Franigpanis will also have a deli section, still being constructed, featuring a cold meat and cheese selection, as dwell as pickles, olives, condiments and some dry goods. People in the area are welcome to put out their wares on Frangipanis shelves (on a pure consignment basis initially).

The new Frangipanis is being set up to cater to two markets – residents and visitors wanting a tasty relaxed place for a meal, and providing “ready cooked” meals for the growing ranks of professionals working in the area to take home.

Contribute: Send your pictures, poems or stories to Word

If you want to share something that make Woodstock special for you, mail us at word@woodstock.org.za

Connect Online

Word on Woodstock is sent by email. If you know someone that lives in Woodstock that is not getting it and wants it, mail us and we’ll add them. Also see the UWRA website – www.woodstock.org.za.
You can also connect with other residents on Facebook.