By Anna Cox
Johannesburg - Hillbrow, a suburb generally regarded as a crime and grime hot spot, is slowly being revitalised by the City of Joburg through the upgrade of streets, alleyways and parks.
The Hillbrow Tower Precinct, being carried out by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), is a pedestrian-friendly, safe and walkable urban environment through a network of public spaces for recreational, creative and entrepreneurial purposes.
Property owners and other stakeholders were taken on board to ensure that issues were addressed and construction continued, said Nomalizo Xabana, the JDA's spokeswoman.
"This has involved upgrading selected streets in the precinct, including paving roads and widening sidewalks, installing street and pedestrian lighting, installing new street furniture and planting trees," she said.
An important part of the JDA's development facilitation work in this area involves engaging with Telkom to establish an enterprise hub at the base of the Hillbrow Tower and to create economic development opportunities for the creative industries in Hillbrow.
Negotiations to reopen the tower were at an advanced stage, she said.
Through the JDA, the city has spent almost R150 million in Hillbrow, Berea and Yeoville between 2007 and 2012.
The work included greening, as well as improving the pavements, kerbs and lighting along certain streets.
It also included installing public artworks and upgrading parks, including the Pieter Roos, Donald Mackay, JZ De Villiers, Alec Gorshel, Le Roith and Pullinger Kop parks.
The JDA has also transformed the sanitary lanes in Hillbrow and Berea into environmentally friendly zones.
Attractive murals add character, while the 18 lanes are kept clean to discourage crime and dumping.
The JDA, said Xabana, had installed recreational activities and public art in some of the lanes.
"The public art draws inspiration from landscapes, the city's skyline and its people, as well as rural villages and flowers.
"Gates have been installed on each side of the lanes, with locks for management and maintenance by JRA, Pikitup and City Power," she said.
The JDA oversees the Hillbrow, Berea and Yeoville public art programme, which began in 2008.
The programme has installed a number of artworks, including the Angel of the North, which is situated across from Constitution Hill on the corner of Queens Road and Kotze Street, outside the restored Governor's House; mosaic concrete benches; carved wooden tree stumps; murals; and metal sculptures.
In January, residents got a new state-of-the-art recreational park on their doorstep.
The Alec Gorshel Park, less than two blocks away from the Hillbrow Tower, has been transformed into a pleasant, secure, functional venue for relaxing, socialising, playing and getting some exercise.
"Youngsters are delighted with the sports facilities on offer, including two AstroTurf five-a-side soccer fields, full-size basketball and netball courts and a skateboard park.
"For the fitness enthusiasts, there is a fully equipped outdoor gym, and for the kids there is an outdoor climbing barn and plenty of rubberised surface play equipment.
"The park has plenty of lawn areas, both open to sunlight and shaded by trees, and the designers have taken advantage of the natural slopes to landscape different levels, creating space for plenty of terrace seating.
"The winding central paved walkway has been generously provided with solar-powered lighting," she said.
Another project is the revamp of the Esselen Clinic to meet the needs of the inner city's growing population.
The revamp of the building, which is over 70 years old and was originally designed as a maternity hospital, will see two entire floors being upgraded to provide easier access and better facilities for patients and staff.
Google SA recently took several guests on a walking tour of the area to see the upgrades, encouraging them to take photos using their new Google Photos app.
The walk revealed an area which is changing for the better.
The once-notorious Ponte City has been cleaned up and is being managed very strictly with visitors only allowed in at certain times.
Although the exterior of the building is still grimy and covered with years-long dirt, the interior is spotlessly clean.
A community centre for residents of the building has been started and is funded by proceeds of the Dlala Nje walking tours.
During the walk, visitors came across the Alec Gorshel Park.
It was clean and abuzz with children playing soccer and netball and basketball.
Others were skateboarding on the AstroTurf.
The walk took visitors through the bustling Petersen Street which was filled with busy pavement traders selling their goods.
The guide said Hillbrow was much safer these days because the community had taken ownership of the area since the upgrades.
The walk ended at a restaurant above the local bottle store, called Sonnyboy's, which served traditional African food to the satisfied visitors.
@annacox
The Star