Research has shown that if public and private entities worked together to bring back movement into our cities, we can live in healthier cities. Cape Town’s MyCiti and coastline helped the city rank as the Fittest City in South Africa.
To increase awareness around this, and highlight the importance of how living a healthier, more active lifestyle can impact positively on our health and wellbeing, Discovery Vitality collaborated with several experts in the fields of public health, physical activity, urban planning and environmental studies to discuss the feasibility of creating an unique algorithm that would allow a clear view of how fit South Africa’s cities really are.
Discovery Vitality’s aim in developing the Vitality Fittest City Index is to determine how each of South Africa’s six major metropolitan areas rank in physical activity-related health and infrastructure that promotes physical activity.
The Mother City’s urban infrastructure gives Capetonians the edge when it comes to facilities and an environment that encourages and facilitates exercise.
Cape Town’s urban infrastructure includes dedicated cycle lanes and integrated bus and cycle routes. Cape Town’s residents have the lowest car dependency in the country and are the biggest users of public transport. In addition, the city also has the greatest number of sports clubs, gyms, fitness facilities and parks per 100 000 people.
What Cape Town is getting right
Cape Town’s public transport network gives it an edge over the other metropoles. Its MyCiTi Bus Rapid Transit system plans to deliver accessible transport to the majority of the city’s residents to within 500m of their homes within the next 15 to 25 years, including those in densely populated outlying areas like Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plain.
The first phase of this bus rapid transport system opened in May 2011, with an express service along the heavily-congested commuter belt from Table View and Milnerton to central Cape Town, as well as several feeder services.
Crucially, the buses allow bicycles to be carried on them so users can cycle to bus stations and take their bikes with them. The city has built a cycle path between Milnerton and Paarden Eiland which offer cyclists a safer alternative to the regional road. The path is clearly signposted and includes drop-kerbs for easy access. In addition, the city has an above average number of sports and recreational facilities per 100 000 people.
Cape Town’s coastline also offers numerous opportunities for water sports and community programmes that encourage water sport enthusiasts to help teach novices. Beachfront promenades are the ideal venue for guided Walking for Health events.
