Who owns Parkhurst sidewalks?
Some residents of Parkhurst appear to be unhappy with the encroachment of traders and restaurants onto the sidewalks on 4th Avenue.
According to Truluck, the sidewalk café lifestyle is one that has made Parkhurst attractive to many, especially to visitors of the suburb.
“The sidewalk café culture started in Parkhurst and we would like to keep it like that but there needs to be rules and subsequently, the city needs to enforce those rules,” he said.
Truluck explained how although the city has bylaws dealing with trading on sidewalks, the “restrictions are not designated for restaurants.”
“Some businesses have tried unsuccessfully to obtain city permission by filling out various applications to use the sidewalk. And sometimes, either in ignorance or defiance, the traders and restaurants just colonise the sidewalk outside their property and wait for the City to do something about it,” he said.
Truluck emphasised, “the issue of sidewalk use needs to be addressed.”
“I have come to the conclusion that if the City wants the sidewalk cafe culture to exist, then it must seek to adopt a sidewalk policy that clearly lays down the procedure for the use of sidewalks,” he added.
The councillor explained that issues such as the space that pedestrians were entitled to; and looking at who would be responsible for customers sitting on the sidewalk were to be addressed.
The suburb’s residents and business owners association’s chairperson, Cheryl Labuschagne explained her views on the issue of 4th Avenue with The Gazette.
“We need to develop the concept of responsible co-existence,” said Labuschagne.
“We do not live in a commercial environment thus businesses need to acknowledge that their neighbours are residents and similarly, residents need to acknowledge that there is a business strip in their area.”
