Speech by the Executive Mayor, Alderman Patricia de
Lille, at the opening of the upgraded Green Point Track
on 6 July 2013
Mayoral Committee Members,
Councillors,
Honoured guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning, goeie more, molweni.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the launch of the
upgraded Green Point Track.
We are working towards building an Inclusive City.
That means creating the kind of spaces where everyone can come
together as part of a united metro.
I see the entire span of Green Point’s development since the 2010 FIFA
World Cup™ as such a project.
And the Green Point Multi-Purpose Facility and A-Track, including the
rugby and cricket fields, is part of that development, along with the Green
Point Urban Park and the stadium.
The first phase of work around the Green Point area happened before the
2010 FIFA World Cup™, with the second phase happening after 2010.
The Green Point Athletics A-Track was part of the second phase.
This whole area was redesigned so as to bring people together to enjoy
common spaces.
Part of the redesign includes the new Athletics Stadium, which will be
officially opened later this year.
Today, part of the A-track, the athletics track and stadium retain a part of
the old stands and history of the track.
But in as much as they contain they best elements of the past, they are
designed with the future in mind.
As such, all facilities are accessible for people with disabilities.
The new building as part of the launch today is a two-storey structure
comprising four change rooms, a storage room for equipment and a club
house on the upper level.
They maintain the same architectural design of the famous Urban Park.
And later this year, the A-track will be officially joined by the athletics
track.
When launched, the seating capacity will accommodate a maximum of 7
000 people.
And when launched, the new athletics track will eventually become the
centre of athletic activities in the province.
Its International Associations of Athletics Federations (IAAF)-level
facilities will serve the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Western
Province Athletics and a range of other sporting clubs.
Not only will these facilities be able to host both national and international
level athletics events, the entire facility will be the site of activities like
rugby and cricket, which we are launching today.
Indeed, more than just a place for sporting excellence, this facility will be
a place where our communities can come together.
In conclusion, for me, that is the essence of the Cape Town difference.
We have at our disposal world-class facilities that speak to our position as
a global events destination.
We are now, more than ever before, one of the most sought-after places
for hosting major events in the region.
But more than that, and what makes us different, is that the sites of great
events are also the sites of connection for our communities.
As such, the Green Point A-Track and multi-purpose facility, and the
whole Green Point development, is a place where all of the residents of
Cape Town can come together and enjoy everything that our great city
has to offer.
Thank you, baie dankie, enkosi.