City streets in summertime
GO to town this December under the watchful eye of a Johannesburg Heritage Foundation guide, and revel in the history of the city's ever-evolving Main Street.
The Main Street Mall walking tour will also show off part of the city in some of its best Christmas ‘clothes’.
“Almost every city, town and dorp has a Main Street. This name is usually given to a centrally located street that is the main thoroughfare for trade, commerce and traffic,” said the foundation’s Flo Bird.
“Main Street in Johannesburg reflects the rich history of the city, in terms of gold mining, politics, the finance sector, legal expansion, transportation and significant personalities.”
A city’s Main Street also represents its economics, manifested in the decay and rejuvenation within a metropolitan area.
“This is our story,” added Bird.
“Now partly for pedestrians only, Main Street… stretches from the Magistrate’s Court to Gandhi Square, where Mohandas Gandhi had his legal offices. The street is lined with a variety of building styles.”
Bird said the tour would also highlight the mining equipment and artwork, dotted between the buildings, that reflected our gold mining heritage and its associated activities.
Also included in the tour is the African Christmas Tree Promenade.
“It not only celebrates the season of peace and goodwill, but the creativity of local artists using a variety of interesting materials related to mining,” said Bird.
The Main Street Mall walk will leave from the north side of Gandhi’s statue at Gandhi Square on 14 December at 2pm. Parking will be available at Nedbank parking lot, entrance in Marshall Street between Loveday and Rissik streets.
In January, the foundation will explore one of Johannesburg’s oldest suburbs from street level.
Hillbrow, which has changed dramatically time and again, first went high-rise in the late 1920s, but 19th Century remnants may still be found.
Bird said the tour would take in the Prison Governor’s house, Alpine Court, the Friedenskirche, and art deco buildings, among other highlights.
The 25 January walking tour will leave from the piazza in Queen’s Road at 2pm. Park on Queen’s Road between Kotze and Sam Hancock streets.
Details: 011 482 3349; mail@joburgheritage.co.za; www.computicket.com
