Business and property owners in Govan Mbeki Avenue are strongly opposed to the upgrading of Govan Mbeki Avenue into a pedestrian mall.

These stakehholders have expressed serious doubts about the proposed plan by the Mandela Bay Development Agency to make the area a car-free zone, saying it will adversely affect their businesses.

This came up during a consultative meeting at the City Hall yesterday, where they expressed their opposition to the plan.

Although in the past business and property owners in the street have ignored several meetings called by the MBDA to discuss the proposals, yesterday?s meeting was well attended as they now see that the agency is serious about its intentions.

Speaker after speaker highlighted problems of parking and access to their businesses, either by customers or deliveries.

The MBDA last week unveiled bold plans dubbed "cars out, people in" which will see the closing of Govan Mbeki Avenue to traffic and the opening of the thoroughfare to pedestrians only.

The first phase of the R12-million project, already approved by the council and starting at the end of April, will involve the upgrading of the avenue from the Market Square to Donkin Street.

This will also include the re-aligning of a massive sewer beneath the avenue, running from Humerail. According to the plan, only delivery vans and emergency vehicles will be allowed in Govan Mbeki Avenue.

Delivery vans to shops will be allowed in only in the mornings, and from then on the avenue will be strictly for pedestrians.

A representative from the St Mary's Cathedral raised concern at the proposed plan, saying it would have "detrimental effects" on the church and its congregation.

"Yes, as much as we are for development, we are strongly disappointed that we were not consulted from the onset. There is no access to the church. Our congregation consists of elderly people. They cannot park some distance away and walk. By the time they get to the church they will be exhausted."

He said the church conducted funeral services and weddings, adding that coffins could not be carried from the church to the parking in Grey Street, about 100 metres away.

Hedwig Crooijmans of The Matrix Urban Designers and Architects, one of four companies involved in the upgrading project, allayed parking fears by church goers. "Access to St Mary's will be provided. It will be a restricted access," she said.

John Mowbray of Croft, Magill and Watson complained about parking space and accessibility to the shops. He argued that if parking were taken away and provided a distance from the shops, this would affect business.

Central ward councillor Terry Herbst said the MBDA must continue providing parking on the Market Square, especially on special occasions.

Although he said the area could not take such a heavy load since there was a bus terminus underneath it, MBDA chief executive Pierre Voges said they would consider the request.

Voges said he was surprised that some business owners still thought the project would affect their businesses.

"Instead, this project will enhance economic development in the area. There must be a mindset change in the people of this city. There has been no development in the Central Business District for a very long time, and we want to do it now," he said.

"People must look at the bigger picture. We cannot continue doing things as was in the past. People must learn to accept change." said Voges.

Eastern Province Herald
Publisher: I-Net Bridge
Source: I-Net Bridge