The Smart Living Centre on the Green Point Park
Summary
Cape Town, December 2009
Smart Living Centre – Green Point Park Summary for the Bavarian Delegation to Cape Town November 2009
The Opportunity: The Smart Living Centre on the Green Point Park
“ In a world increasingly concerned with the problems of a deteriorating
environment, be they energy, pollution, vanishing plants, animals, natural or
productive landscapes, there remains a marked propensity to bypass the
environment most people live in - the city itself ”.
Michael Hough
‘Cities and Natural Process’ (Routledge 2004)
Cape Town is one of the host cities for the 2010 FIFA World CupTM tournament, and
the Green Point Common is the site of the construction of a magnificient new 68 000seat multi-purpose sport stadium to host the soccer matches.
During a series of workshops supported by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), the
greening strategy for the 2010 FIFA World CupTM was translated into a detailed Host
City Cape Town Green Goal 2010 Action Plan. 41 projects were identified across nine
target areas to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of the event, leave a
positive environmental legacy, create greater awareness of environmental issues and
stimulate behavior change.
One of the flagship projects identified is for the establishment of an Smart Living
Centre to be located within the Green Point Park.
The proposed Smart Living Centre will be a non-profit organization that promotes
sustainable living practices in order to educate and inspire, acting as a seed for
further change and helping Capetonians to put sustainable living into practice. The
Centre will embody all the principles of living lightly on the earth. It will serve as an
example, and inspire and empower Capetonians and visitors to our city to connect
their lifestyles to earth-wise choices for a healthy and prosperous future.
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Smart Living Centre – Green Point Park Summary for the Bavarian Delegation to Cape Town November 2009
Through its unique design and the use of green technologies, the Centre itself will
demonstrate environmentally friendly construction. The Smart Living Centre will also
provide a tangible and enjoyable learning experience for young people and adults
through a programme of hands-on workshops, interactions with living plants and
animals, seminars, lectures and guided tours. Exhibitions and presentations on
renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar and water as well as on energy
efficiency will raise awareness and help to promote the usage of these technologies
on a broader scale.
The availability of water from the Oranjezicht Springs presents an opportunity to add
to the environmental capital of the Green Point Park through the development of a
wetlands type landscape. The ponds will be used to capture and manage water
flows using reed based technologies and vegetation while providing habitats for
small frogs and insects. The Smart Living Centre will face onto the series of wetland
ponds.
Associated with the Smart Living Centre will be:
•
Worm Farm
•
Biodiversity showcase garden
•
Organic vegetable gardens, vegetable allotments
•
Play areas for young people
•
Public Art Pavillion and outdoor art
•
Recycling Drop Off Centre and demonstration area
•
Bicycle Rental Facility
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Smart Living Centre – Green Point Park Summary for the Bavarian Delegation to Cape Town November 2009
It is envisaged that the Smart Living Centre will be a non-profit seeking entity,
however it will operate or concession out certain commercial activities, such as a
Smart Living café and a Smart Living store that will generate revenue and may turn a
profit. All revenues and profits from operating activities will be used to support the
Smart Living Centres programmes.
The Smart Living Centre will have 3 full-time employees for the first 2 years of
operations, adding a full-time bookkeeper in the 3rd year.
It is proposed that a six-month start-up phase will precede a 12-month construction
period, after which the Smart Living Centre would be in full operational mode. The
start-up phase will be funded by donor and public funds, during which detailed
architectural drawings and zoning modifications would be completed.
The projected funding requirements for the start-up and construction phases are
R1.5m and R2.7m respectively, with R35.3m required for the capital costs of the
building and fittings within the Smart Living Centre.
The City of Cape Town has allocated a prime space of 1400 square meters to the
Smart Living Centre. The pristine position on the Green Point Park, with outstanding
views of Table Mountain, is unparalleled and from a real estate perspective, it would
be hard to locate a better site. The process to secure the relevant land use rights to
operate the centre is currently underway.
A consortium consisting of South Africa's Sail Group and French-based StadeFrance,
have been awarded the tender to operate the new soccer stadium and manage and
maintain the Green Point Park. The consortium is fully appraised of plans with respect to
the Smart Living Centre and is most supportive.
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Smart Living Centre – Green Point Park Summary for the Bavarian Delegation to Cape Town November 2009
The City of Cape Town has contributed significant resources to the upgrading of the
Green Point Park. Work on the Park is already well underway, and the value of the
scope of work stands at R308m. Separate, but concurrent projects include the work
on the Granger Bay Boulevard (R85m) and the landscape upgrade of the Mouille
Point Promenade and Beachfront (R30m).
The Smart Living Centre and Green Point Park are bound to attract a lot of people
and local, national, and international businesses and agencies may well see the
benefit of sponsorship in return for marketing and social/educational benefits.
The City of Cape Town and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung believe that the Smart
Living Centre is a project that is worthy of support as a legacy project of the 2010 FIFA
World Cup™.
A full Smart Living Centre Business Plan with detailed financials is available.
We look forward to further discussions.
Ms Lorraine Gerrans
City of Cape Town
Manager: Green Goal 2010 FIFA World Cup™
4th floor, 73 Hertzog Boulevard
Cape Town
Tel:
+27 21 401 4011
Fax:
+27 21 401 4014
Mobile:
+ 27 82 301 5002
E-mail:
lorraine.gerrans@capetown.gov.za
Website:
www.capetown.gov.za/fifaworldcup
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Smart Living Centre – Green Point Park Summary for the Bavarian Delegation to Cape Town November 2009
Ms Christina Teichmann
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
36 Long Street, 8001, Cape Town
Tel: + 27 (21) 422-3844
60 Hume Road, Dunkeld, 2196, Johannesburg
Tel: +27 (11) 214-2900
E-mail: christina.teichmann@kas.de
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