Exciting! City experts in Jozi to plan future
Thanks to one of our favourite local sites, Joburg.org, for always keeping us in touch with what’s happening in our city. Apparently a whole lot of urban planning honcho’s are here at the moment helping city developers plan the future of Johannesburg – it’s so exciting living in such a time of change – particularly in a city with such incredible potential. Appropriately, the conference is taking place at the Civic theatre in Braamies and will focus on the inner city transformation, drawing from actual success stories and existing examples of cities that have cinderella’d like Birmingham, Vancouver and Paris. More from the City of Johannesburg website here – George Matlala reports: Foreign experts have been invited to discuss their cities’ urban planning challenges and successes, so that Joburg can learn from their experiences. URBAN planners from some of the world’s largest and most successful cities are expected to attend a four-day conference to discuss turning Johannesburg into a world-class city. Nine representatives from cities such as New York, Paris, Vancouver and Birmingham, will be in Johannesburg to participate in its International Conference on Planning, running from Sunday, 17 June to Wednesday, 20 June. It is being held at the Civic Theatre in Braamfontein. According to Phillip Harrison, the executive director in the City’s department of development planning and urban management, the main aim of the conference is to learn how other big cities have handled the challenges of development. “We want to learn what has made their cities so successful.” The team comprises of urban planners, academics and representatives of the city council of Birmingham, England and a regional planning agency in Paris, France. They will share their experience in inner city regeneration, precinct development and sustainability, and strategic planning of projects. The conference will explore practical ways of rejuvenating the Joburg inner city. From Joburg, there will be members of City departments and agencies, including the Johannesburg Development Agency, and representatives from the University of the Witwatersrand’ s school of architecture and the South African Cities Network. Inner city regeneration On Monday, there will be a case study looking at how Birmingham and Vancouver, in Canada successfully developed their inner cities, Harrison says, noting that it will give delegates an opportunity to learn more about the development of Joburg’s inner city. The following day delegates will split into working teams that will tour the inner city to check development progress and problems. With work on sports stadiums and Gautrain stations steaming ahead, the City hopes to learn how the French handled and sustained developments related to the 1998 Fifa World Cup™, held in that country. Harrison says it is important...
Represent Recommends: PARTY PEOPLE
Get ready for your Monthly fix with the soulful sounds of Khenzero and his crew. This Saturday at Roka “Party People” features Khethi – some of you may recognise her from the cocacola colab album (2004?) where she sings the song “Be with Me” alongside 340ml and Jahseed. Khethi’s voice is amazing and reminds us of ZapMama’s and a little of Amel Larrieux (one of Editorista’s favourite vocalists who is about to release her new album) and we’re gonna go catch her for sure. See Khethi’s myspace here. There’s also “DJ Smokey B” from the UK on the decks… maybe a little Garage music geezer? Party People Sat 26 May 9pm Roka – 44 Stanley, Milpark R50 *************************** April Party People We hope we’ve given you enough to go with for the next few days… One more party that always rocks everyones boats with soul, old school, reggae, ragga, hiphop, local hits and acid jazz – PARTY PEOPLE with DJ Khenzero at Roka in Milpark. It’s this Sat 28 April 007 and looks to be some rockous fun. It’s at 9pm and the charge is R50 to get in. Click on the flyer and check out http://www.djkhenzero.co.za/ for more info on the fly DJ and email partypeople@gustoprojects.co.za for party info. Represent!...
Join the Green Drinks group in Joburg
We’re hoping there are at least a few activist tree-huggers in our readership who are concerned about the environment and willing to do something about it. (I know at least three of you 😉 personally) If you live in Joburg and would like a chance to have a good yak on eco issues and at the same time meet some like-minded peeps, get to Joburg’s first GREEN DRINKS session next Wednesday. BTW it’s free – but please note if you will be attending you need to holler at the organisers to let them know you’re coming (see below). The Mail and Guardian give you more info here. Here’s the scoop: Green drinks groups are active in 224 cities around the world, including Cape Town and Stellenbosch and now a new group is starting up in Joburg. Green drinks was started in the UK back in 1989 and calls itself an informal, organic, self-organising network where anyone environmentally minded can go along meet like-minded people and get chatting over drinks. Green Drinks Johannesburg is launching on Wed 30 May at Primi Forum in Melrose Arch and is being organised by former Big Brother housemate and eco-entrepreneur Irvan Damon. “Green drinks is a small beginning and gives a voice to those wanting to make a difference,” says Damon. The events will deal with topical, relevant issues that affect South Africans, from our current energy crisis to debates around what effect the car you drive has on climate change, says Damon. Each month there will be a mini-panel to discuss the latest trends and developments in the environmental sector, ensuring that South Africans aren’t left behind as the green cause advances globally. “Any kind of forum where environmental organisations can get together to share information and ways to help one another is very important,” says Jeunesse Park, founder and CEO of Food and Trees for Africa, “and it’s nice to attend that sort of thing in an informal setting.” Read a full press release over here More details on http://www.greendrinks.org/ or contact Irvan Damon at irvand[at]mweb.co.za or call him on 073 692 7386...
More Representer’s LURVE our city of Jozi
The words just keep on flying in….there’s More and More love for Jozi. Wow – what a response. You made our day, week, our May… We’ve been showered with shimmering, glimmering, dripping words of love today – All in response to our unimportant little call for Representer’s to remind us all just why we LOVE JOBURG. You have renewed our spirit – we really needed some love so thanks. Look forward to some of our inspiring and amazing new citizen journalists on Represent… we can’t wait. Here’s a taste – we just had to share some of the words with you. SHARPILE!. (If anyone else feels like waxing lyrically, email editor@represent.co.za or write in the comments section.): Yrhiness How can I not and I bet you your R20 Gucci shades from Smal street you do too. I’ve been to China and Nigeria and back to the 1970’s to further 2010 by just taking R6 Zola budd taxi through Jozi. I came in the city naive and after a couple of back door clothing discount offers and a few card games I haven’t ’til date received any greater wisdom. Everytime I put my index finger in the air I surrender myself to the great adventure that awaits me intertwined with the culture massive that beholds this story filled city. Why I love Jozi? Do you have forever for me, to tell my love for Jozi to you? Preya I can’t say there is anything physically appealing to me about Joburg, but it’s got a pulse and soul that I just love. It is great to see how different cultures merge into sub cultures in Joburg. In just one day I can cross paths with a real McCoy Rastafarian to a koogirl all togged up in her designer wear to the up and coming business ladies who are hanging out at poetry sessions in Jozi’s Newtown precinct. “Joburgers” give this city a dynamic energy. The fast paced “Joburgers” are constantly on the move, whether they are going to work or the gym, eating out, partying till late, attending shows and the exhibitions and just moving along with the beating rhythm of Joburg. The diverse background of the “Joburgers” gives this vibrant city a culture like no other city. Leanne Jozi, JHB, Joeys, Jo’Burg, Johannesburg, Egoli, The City of Gold. This is why I love Jozi, with its multiplicity of names it also carries a multiplicity of faces. Jozi can be anything you want her to be making it easy for any person to find their niche on her busy streets and bustling sidewalks. It’s the juxtapositions of ‘walkie talkies’ available on...
Representah! A Day in the Life… Jozi 2010
We’re really excited about our new crew of citizen journalists writing for Represent and giving us even more juicy content for you darling readers – here’s our debut submission from a very loyal Representah Linda Soga who took time out to attend the Inner City Summit last weekend – for anyone that’s interested in the plans for the city from now to the big bang in 2010, read all about it! Some very exciting moves – by the way, anyone know what’s happening with ConHill – seems to be moving a little slower than planned? i.e. Where is that Hyatt hotel? Sharpile Linda – uyarocka. A Day in the Life… Jozi 2010 I roll out of bed…growling at my alarm clock as I rub the sleep out of my eyes… I look at the time; “Yikes! Late again”. I take a quick shower, dress, grab my bag and set off at a trot down to the bus stop at the corner, pausing only to say hello to the doorman at the front of my apartment building. I’m just in time to catch the bus; one minute later and I would have had to walk the five blocks to the train station (in these heels, girlfriend? I don’t think so!) I get on the bus, sit down and start to breathe normally. In fifteen minutes, I’m at the office, and as the day goes by, I start planning what to do later on… it’s Friday. A few phone calls tell me that it’s all happening in Newtown tonight… Oh yes, I live in downtown Jozi, and the year is 2010, although you’d be forgiven for associating the scene I’ve just described with Manhattan, London or some other metropolis. Or picture this… I haven’t driven my car in over two weeks. Oh, there’s nothing wrong with it; I just have not needed to. I live downtown, a walking distance to work. There’s a shopping arcade across the road from me, for those quick after-work purchases. And for entertainment, I’m spoilt for choice – there’s the gallery around the corner, the movie house two blocks away and Joburg City Hall, always good for live music. This is the Joburg of the (not too distant) future. This urban landscape was painted by the City of Johannesburg at the Inner City Summit which I attended last weekend – of a city in which one will be able to live, work, and play. The Summit was held at the Braamfontein Recreation Centre, next door to the recently refurbished Parktonian Hotel. There was a large turnout, of people from all walks of life – property developers, business people, investors, and...
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