Instead of remaining an artery for the usual flow of traffic, Lower Main Road in Observatory and Salt River is to be transformed into a car-free meeting place for residents wanting to take part in activities ranging from the arts and giant chess, to skateboarding and cycling this Saturday.
Open Streets will take place from 13:00 to 17:00 on 25 May 2013. It is a partnership between the City of Cape Town, Open Streets Cape Town, the Cape Town Partnership and the Observatory Improvement District.
The objective of Open Streets is to enable citizens to use streets freely and safely. This kind of event was inspired by Bogota’s Ciclovía, which led to similar projects being launched in some 100 major cities across the world, including Jakarta and San Francisco.
Lower Main Road between Main and Albert Roads is the first leg of an extending network that it is hoped will reach all Cape Town communities, in time to inaugurate the World Design Capital 2014 Programme.
“Removing the cars from Lower Main Road for a few hours will allow people to foster relationships with their neighbours, enhancing the sense of community in the area. Open Streets can also assist in the creation of a more sustainable and low-carbon future for Cape Town, by promoting the idea of using public and non-motorised forms of transport for daily commutes,” said Councillor Brett Herron, Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Stormwater. “I would like to encourage residents not only from Observatory and Salt River, but from all over our city to come and join in.”
The event is free and activities planned for the afternoon include a skateboarding park, bicycle activation points, Zumba and yoga lessons, theatre, music busking and arts installations.
Residents have also organised a family ‘corner’ with a braai and games for kids, street football, giant chess, puppets, chalk-drawing and many more fun family games.
“People want to have a more pedestrian-friendly space on Lower Main Road and Open Streets is an opportunity for all to experience what that would be like. It will also be a good opportunity for local businesses to interact with the residents of Obs and Salt River,” said Justin Ashley, chairman of the Observatory Improvement District.
Open Streets ties in with other events taking place on 25 May, namely:
- Africa Day
- Moonlight Mass monthly bicycle ride
- 100 in 1 Day: a global movement to encourage people to utilize public space in creative ways
INFORMATION ON OPEN STREETS CAPE TOWN:
– To find out more about Open Streets Cape Town visit
– To find out more about Open Streets around the world visit http://openstreetsproject.org
– For more details visit Open Streets website
