Parkwood businesses pursue safety initiative

The area had previously developed a reputation for having vagrants in its’ public space who frequently intimidated and harassed passersby in the vicinity.

A new safety initiative to rehabilitate the area has been launched. It is spearheaded by Park cafe owner Vicky Ross, and with the help of Urban Genesis a management company specialising in the improvement of public spaces.

This collective effort endeavors to keep the gallery strip in Parkwood clean, cleared of drug-using vagrants and crime free.

Urban Genesis stated that at the moment, it has three formally trained “public safety ambassadors” during the day and two at night who effectively occupy the space and take on the duties previously held by informal car guards.

A private clean-up crew also tidies the area twice a day.

“When we first started, we found piles of blankets and other items belonging to vagrants, stacked metres high. It was stored in storm water drains and resulted in parts of [Jan Smuts] being flooded in heavy rain”, said Ryan Mathew of Urban Genesis.

Cafe owner Vicky Ross has stated this was intended to improve the area, because the establishments on the gallery strip had so much to offer.

Something had to be done considering the potential loss of business due to degrading public space, “[We want to] create a sense of identity for the area” she said.

The vicinity houses about six galleries with well established reputations both locally and internationally. Several business owners and tenants have also remarked on the noticeable difference.

Glynis Blomkamp of Gallery 2 said, “It was really difficult for visitors to come by, it made them uncomfortable”. The owner of Res Gallery echoed a similar sentiment, “We used to have to do events midday because it was too dangerous at night. It was not good for business and not good for the community,” he said.

Persistence is required going forward as vagrants do return. The gallery strip currently requires 51% approval from property owners in order for it to be a legislated city improvement district, where an added additional levy will help compliment municipal services and maintain this initiative for the long term.