Dear Ward Committee members,

Our time together ended so abruptly. We didn’t have a chance to meet for a final meeting.

If we look back at the last 5 years, it is absolutely incredible what we have been through. From a City restructure, changing of leadership, a drought and now the pandemic! Nonetheless, I think an enormous amount was accomplished in that time and I do hope that I made you proud as a Councillor. Should I be re-elected, I will continue to do my best to serve the community.

One of the first challenges that was laid at my feet as a Councillor was that of the designated fireworks site. I remember standing in a public meeting saying that if it could be done, I will ensure it will be moved. I initially tried to find an alternative site and looked high and low across the entire area North but to no avail. Eventually, after an enormous struggle, I managed to get the City to accept the fact that Ward 107 does not want the site. Except for one gentleman who still mails me every few months telling me how selfish I was to remove it! What happened from there is that the City decided to follow suite and remove all of the sites. What a great achievement! Thank you to all of you for the support. Ultimately the ward committee decision weighed heavily on the decision of the Subcouncil to support the removal.

We also finally got the Marine Circle rusty whale removed! Whilst my dream of turning it into something completely different couldn’t realise due to the consistent obstacles from the roads department with each idea, I am very happy with where it is going and will keep on with the project should I have the opportunity. In this year’s budget, which was finalised last year January, I put money towards plants to beautify the circle and the planter boxes along the beachfront. Thanks to Beautify the Westcoast who kick-started the project and were a huge contributor! Whilst the circle itself remains in ward 107, after the 1st of Nov everything from there on to Dolphin Beach falls in ward 113. I have attached the maps for ease of reference.

The Safe Space is something I will certainly continue to pursue. Table View Angels put in the motion and we fought hard to be recognised and we have been! We are at the top of the list for the next space but need property, so please keep your eyes peeled! We have gone to see an enormous amount of properties with Social Development but either the custodian doesn’t want to allow the safe space (we tried a piece of biodiversity land which was bare and only had sand) or the property owner is not willing to lease to the City to utilise the building as a safe space. If you hear of anything we can go investigate, please do let me know!

Yvette, what an awesome idea your bat boxes were! I will see if I can get an update on them before the end of this week to share with you all. They have been up for some time now and I am sure they have found permanent tenants by now!

There have been some fantastic collaboration projects in the ward. Residents of Chestnut Crescent and surrounds really took ownership of their greenspace, built a vision for it and started working with us to achieve their goal. We managed to help them with some olive trees, benches, bins, a bridge over the retention pond (it looks lovely and can only imagine it in the winter when it is full of water), plants and even some olive trees. It is so fantastic what they have managed to do with the space. They even have their own newsletter! Certainly something that is inspiring!

Plenty of parks were upgraded over the last 5 years. One in Waves Edge was one of the first to receive equipment where there was none before. From there on we moved throughout the ward. GTAF, also a member of the ward committee, came up with a huge collaboration project. They designed their dream and the City kick-started the project with a pathway through Park Drive/Echium Park open space and built a circle with 3 large trees planted in. We will continue to collaborate with them and work towards their final dream for the space. Well done to you guys for working on a collaboration project like this! Better together.

Speaking of collaboration, PHOA has been phenomenal in their assistance over the years. They have jumped in whenever we have had challenges. Leonardo park benefited greatly from their extra weeding of thorns and the mows! Thank you PHOA for working together with us!

Leonardo Park has also received a face lift and now includes dog training and play equipment! The park users were consulted, loved the idea and also chose the equipment which was installed. The park users are over the moon. They are also a shining example of people taking ownership of their spaces. They have a facebook page and whatsapp group. They’ve almost built a club around the park! It is amazing to see and I am happy the doggies can now have some extra stimulation! The parking at Leonardo also received a face lift with the murals painted at the beginning of term along with the asphalt that was laid instead of the old broken surface that was there. The project is not finished and so will need to be continued with as time goes.

Let us not forget the awesome initiative by CPF, the street meetings that were held. They brought together SAPS, the City, arcs and all relevant community stakeholders and met with various streets. It was a great initiative that was largely thrown by the pandemic. I hope that CPF will continue with these at some point.

The efforts of everyone during the pandemic, to see to the needs of those you found themselves without food or shelter all of a sudden, is commendable. Thank you to everyone who reached out and helped the community. It was fantastic to see and just goes to show what a great heart this community has. Kasagan, you and your organisation have been busy with projects like these all throughout the 5 years and it was lovely to hear all about it!

I could go on all day about the fantastic things that came from all the organisations over the last 5 years. The thanks goes to you! You are the voices of the community and together we work on solutions.

Should I be re-elected, I look forward to the re-establishment of ward committees (likely only end of Feb or beginning Mar) and the planning for the next 5 years. I would like to build an even stronger committee this term and have some ideas around this.

Thank you ward committee of ward 107! You made me a proud Councillor and it was an honour to serve with you!

So with just 6 days of my term left, I thank all of you for the difference you have made in my life!

Regards

Councillor Nicky Rheeder: Ward 107
Subcouncil 3 Chairperson
Water and Waste Portfolio Committee
Water Resilience Advisory Committee
Urban Management Portfolio Committee
072 729 4282
Nicky.Rheeder@cape105.247.136.10town.gov.za

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New Ward Map Ward 107

New Ward Map Ward 113