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Friday 27 June 2014

CBRRA summary CBBC / CBPPS

The CBRRA has been actively involved in arbitration between the Camps Bay Preparatory School and the Camps Bay Bowling Club. Below is a summary of the various letters and articles. Please bookmark and revisit as we will keep you updated on this page.

 

CBBC CBPS Shared option received by CBRRA from CBPS 

27 JUNE 2014

http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2014/06/cbbc-cbps-shared-proposal-received-from.html

 

CAPE ARGUS: CAMPS BAY BOWLING CLUB LOSES LEASE BATTLE

FRIDAY 27 JUNE 2014

http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2014/06/cape-argus-camps-bay-bowling-club-loses.html

 

CBRRA Meet with MEC Debbie Schafer re CBBC CBPS shared option
MONDAY 2 JUNE 2014

http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2014/06/cbrra-meet-with-mec-debbie-schafer-re.html


Letter Cape Times 2014-05-27 re CBBC and CBPS

WEDNESDAY 28 MAY 2014

Council to vote on use of bowling club land - Article Cape Times 20140527 CBBC CBPS

TUESDAY 27 MAY 2014
http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2014/05/council-to-vote-on-use-of-bowling-club.html

CBPS – What will they do with the Bowling Club land?

THURSDAY 22 MAY 2014
http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2014/05/letter-cape-times-2014-05-27-re-cbbc.html

Atlantic Sun 24 April 2014 - Land debate rolls on

THURSDAY 24 APRIL 2014
http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2014/04/atlantic-sun-24-april-2014-land-debate.html

Proposed takeover of the Camps Bay Bowling Club by the Camps Bay Prep School

TUESDAY 15 APRIL 2014

CBRRA letter CBBC/CBPPS Cape Times 15 April 2014

TUESDAY 15 APRIL 2014
http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2014/04/cbrra-letter-cbbccbpps-cape-times-15.html

CBPS refusal to participate in any further negotiations with community

FRIDAY 7 MARCH 2014

CBRRA approaches CB Schools for meeting to discuss CBPS and CBBC voting at public meeting
Referring to CBRRA Chair's report on protecting our green belt (AT PUBLIC MEETING): 

CBBRA Objection to lease of public open space to WCPG and CBBC / CBPPS Partitioned Proposal

MONDAY 9 DECEMBER 2013
http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2013/12/cbbra-objection-to-lease-of-public-open.html

Concerned Parents Group: Answer to CBRRA letter in Atlantic Sun 29 Aug 2013

14 SEPTEMBER 2013
http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2013/09/concerned-parents-group-answer-to-cbrra.html

CBPS and CBRRA holds successful meeting to re-negotiate partitioned option

10 SEPTEMBER 2013


Reply to The Atlantic Sun article “Progress on School expansion” dated 22 August by Freddy Peckam

6 SEPTEMBER 2013

http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2013/09/reply-to-atlantic-sun-article-progress.html


Letter to Atlantic Sun: The Atlantic Sun article “Progress on School expansion” dated 22 August refers

MONDAY 26 AUGUST 2013

THURSDAY 29 AUGUST 2013

CBRRA Answer to "Progress on school expansion" Atlantic Sun 22 August 2013

http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2013/08/cbrra-answer-to-progress-on-school.html


Letter to the Premier, Helen Zille: Alienation of City owned land for Educational purposes

MONDAY 26 AUGUST 2013
http://campsbayratepayers.blogspot.com/2013/08/letter-to-premier-helen-zille.html



CBBC CBPS Shared proposal received from CBPS 26 June 2014


CBPS : Sharing Proposal June 2014

CBPS would get area in GREEN plus shared parking in BROWN:

1 bowling green (small sports field)                              
half parking lot for playground                                       
hall                                                    
2 classrooms, passage and loos                                      
shared parking lot  (area in BROWN)                                                   
                                                                                   

CBPS Benefits:
1.    CBPS gets the land sooner
2.    Space per child is close to target

CBPS compromise:
1.    We have to build/erect another classroom to our current campus
2.    No tennis/netball court
3.    Very small playing field


CBBC would get area in BLUE plus shared parking in BROWN:

1 bowling green                                                                 
areas rented to Bay Hotel and Village & Life             
bar area, covered verandah, kitchen and loos           
shared parking lot  (area in BROWN)                                                                                       

CBBC Benefits:
1.    CBBC achieves long term sustainability as social club
2.    CBBC remains financially sustainable as still has bar and can still rent out parking lot, kitchen, areas to Village&Life and Bay Hotel

CBBC compromise:
1.    Cannot host league matches
2.    Smaller bar area
3.    No hall, but school hall can be used for activities not requiring alcohol (ballroom dancing etc)

CONDITIONS

1. Solid partition (no sharing of any facilities except parking lot)
2. Club uses east entrance (the gate next to Village & Life building)
3. School gets parking lot Mon - Fri 7am to 3pm during government school terms.
4. Club covers their own cost of moving.
5. No objections by CBBC or CBRRA to rezoning and other statutory requirements
6. School gets water from the borehole
7. Separate utility meters
8. Vacant occupation 1 August 2014
9. Club can continue to use hall after-hours, weekends and holidays for activities not requiring alcohol, on condition that it is left in good condition each time.



Cape Argus: Camps Bay bowling club loses lease battle

After a four-year dispute, the City of Cape Town has given the Department of Education the green light to lease land used by the Camps Bay Bowling Club for the expansion of a school.

But the club is not giving up just yet, and president Mattthew Bater said last night that legal action would be considered.

'It has always been the position that if the lease was cancelled, we would take legal action.'

Mayor Patricia de Lille said in the council yesterday that the decision was based on what would offer the best solution, while meeting the community's social needs.

The application follows a request by Camps Bay Preparatory School to expand its classrooms on to the prime land used by the Camps Bay Bowling Club.

The council was to have considered the application last month, after it was approved by the mayoral committee, but Education MEC Debbie Schafer asked for the decision to be delayed by a month so she could consider both party's concerns.

The school, represented by lobby group the Concerned Parents' Group, said the club's dwindling membership, and the proximity of the nearby Glen Bowling Club, meant that the land would be better use for education.

But the club, which celebrates its centenary this year, contended that it was a well-used community facility that was popular with a number of sporting codes. One of the offers on the table was for the school and the club to share the land.

Suzanne Maier, of the Concerned Parents Group, said yesterday: 'We are delighted it has gone in the Education Department's favour, but we have to say we are disappointed that a shared solution could not be agreed upon. We do have the whole community's interests at heart, but unfortunately we could not come to an agreement. Although it is a loss of a social bowling club, the added benefits for the community will be increased access to the fields and continued availability of the hall for the community.

'It will also be the best way to preserve the much-treasured green belt in Camps Bay.'

Bater said the bowling club had been in favour of a shared solution, but the proposal put forward by the school would have meant a 'dramatic reduction' in the club's functionality. 'The club still supports a solution where both parties can sustain themselves.'

The council approved the recommendation yesterday to lease the land to the department, in effect cancelling the bowling club's lease, which was to expire in 2018.

Cape Argus

http://www.iolproperty.co.za/roller/news/entry/camps_bay_bowling_club_loses

Tuesday 24 June 2014

Please Support the Haven’s Winter Drive

The Haven Night Shelter Organisation is embarking on its annual “winter drive” where the public is asked to donate warm clothing and shoes, blankets, toiletries and non-perishable foods to be distributed in the Haven’s work with Cape Town’s homeless and needy over the cold winter months.
The Haven is of course the partner of our successful community vagrancy initiative run by the Camps Bay Business Forum that has to date assisted over 130 homeless people move off the streets of Camps Bay and Clifton into Haven shelters in the City and to start new, more positive lives.  
I appeal to all residents and businesses to support the Haven’s winter drive, as many of you kindly did last year. Please drop off any items you wish to donate (either in boxes or secure plastic bags) at the Camps Bay Law Enforcement offices opposite the Tidal Pool between 8am and 4pm daily or you can call Ricardo Beukes our Camps Bay Fieldworker on 082 0498 209 to arrange for collection. 
Thank you very much in advance for all your support.    
Best wishes
Simon Kneel

Camps Bay Business Forum

Thursday 19 June 2014

CCT: Major roadworks in Adderley Street to commence tomorrow 18 June 2014

CITY OF CAPE TOWN
17 JUNE 2014
MEDIA RELEASE
Major roadworks in Adderley Street to commence tomorrow 18 June 2014
 
The City of Cape Town would like to advise road users that a major project for the upgrading of the lanes in Adderley Street in the central business district will be undertaken over the next few weeks. Read more below:
 
The roadworks form part of the Integrated Rapid Transit construction project which entails building the MyCiTi station on the centre median of Adderley Street with a red bus lane on either side of the station. In the process of constructing the red bus lanes, the existing road had to be widened to accommodate two lanes next to the red lanes for the use by general traffic. These lanes now have to be brought onto the same road surface level as the red bus lanes.

The project will be taking place between Waterkant Street and the Adderley Fountain Circle. However, these upgrades to the northbound and southbound lanes in Adderley Street will be undertaken in phases in order to minimise the effect on traffic and road users as far as possible:
  • Phase 1 and 2: the northbound lanes as of 18 June until 26 June 2014
  • Phase 3 and 4: the southbound lanes as of 27 June until 8 July 2014

There will be limited access from the Adderley Fountain Circle to Strand Street, as well as limited access from Strand Street to the Adderley Fountain Circle for the duration of the roadworks.

No right turn will be allowed to general traffic into Adderley Street via Riebeeck Street, as well as into Riebeeck Street via Adderley Street. These arrangements will become permanent once the MyCiTi station in Adderley Street becomes operational by the end of July 2014.

Flagmen have been appointed to assist pedestrians in crossing Adderley Street and to direct commuters to the temporary MyCiTi stops. A pointsman will be on duty at the Adderley Fountain Circle in the morning and afternoon peak hours to assist with traffic. However, the City would like to advise motorists to use alternative routes where possible during this period as congestion may cause delays.

The City apologises for any inconvenience caused but assures residents that the improvements will ultimately serve to enhance mobility, in line with our commitment to creating an opportunity city. Road users are requested to work with the City: please be patient, obey traffic control measures and drive carefully within the construction areas.


End

Issued by: Integrated Strategic Communication and Branding Department, City of Cape Town

Media enquiries: Councillor Brett Herron, Mayoral Committee Member: Transport for Cape Town, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 400 1298 or Cell: 082 518 3264, E-mail:brett.herron@capetown.gov.za
 <mailto:brett.herron@capetown.gov.za

Disclaimer: This e-mail (including attachments) is subject to the disclaimer published at: http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Pages/disclaimer.aspx. Please read the disclaimer before opening any attachment or taking any other action in terms of this e-mail. If you cannot access the disclaimer, kindly send an email to disclaimer@capetown.gov.za and a copy will be provided to you. By replying to this e-mail or opening any attachment you agree to be bound by the provisions of the disclaimer.

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Tuesday 3 June 2014

IOL: Camps Bay Bowling Club enters final round

 BY 

Camps Bay Bowling Club battle enters final round
Camps Bay parents will have to wait another month to find out whether the City of Cape Town will give the green light to an application to build classrooms on council land leased by the Camps Bay Bowling Club.
The Camps Bay Bowling Club.
New Education MEC Debbie Schafer started her first week in office by getting stuck into the row between the bowling club – which celebrates its centenary this year – and Camps Bay Preparatory School.
The school has been lobbying for four years to have the Western Cape Education Department take over the lease so it can expand its classrooms.
The bowling club’s lease expires in 2018, but the city’s mayoral committee resolved earlier this month that it would approve the termination of the lease if the land was used for educational purposes.
This decision, which was to have been referred to the full council yesterday for final decision, has met with vehement resistance from bowling club members.
Schafer said: ‘It is clearly a very contentious issue within the community of Camps Bay, and I would like the opportunity to consult urgently with all relevant role-players. I could not do so by today (Thursday). In the light of this, I asked that the council hold the application over until next month’s meeting.’
Schafer said she had already met the Concerned Parents’ Group, which supported the postponement decision.
‘We will be meeting other roleplayers, such as the Camps Bay Bowling Club, as soon as possible.’
During yesterday’s council meeting, deputy mayor Ian Neilson said the negotiations would make it possible to find a compromise.
Schafer’s spokeswoman, Bronagh Casey, said the MEC would consider all proposals. One of these could include the so-called share option, which would allow the club and the school to both use the land.
Suzanne Maier of the Concerned Parents’ Group said yesterday: ‘We met the MEC (on Wednesday) and we were in full support on what she proposed.’ She could not provide more details at this stage.
The parents’ group noted on its official Facebook page that the shared deal had been under discussion for 18 months and that the bowling club had not accepted any of their proposals.
After these discussions failed, the parents’ group decided to hand the matter over to the Education Department, so that it could make the necessary applications to the city council. The group also said the Camps Bay community would still be able to use the hall and fields.
‘A school would be the best way to preserve the much-valued green belt. This option, rather than building a new school on different land in Camps Bay, will save huge amounts of money that is desperately needed by other schools.’
Casey said the department had already considered other sites as alternatives to the bowling club.
Cape Argus
Support IOL Property News and read the article source:http://www.iolproperty.co.za/roller/news/entry/camps_bay_bowling_club_battle

CBRRA meet with MEC Debbie Schafer re CBBC and CBPS shared option


PROPOSED LEASE OF CITY LAND TO THE CAMPS BAY PREP SCHOOL

CBRRA Position
In certain aspects, a bitter history has developed between the school and club in this matter and some less than sensible accusations have been leveled. However, this is history and we all need to move on to a sensible and sustainable solution to the problem.
The CBRRA, as the only duly constituted and mandated ratepayers’ association in the Camps Bay area has taken the position of an impartial and honest broker in this matter with the future well being of the school, club and community in mind. It has applied its mind and consulted extensively with the school and bowling club and referred this matter to its last public meeting, where the community voted overwhelmingly in favour of the CBRRA shared/partitioned proposal which seeks to benefit all parties and make the most sense in terms of the constraints of the local and provincial authorities.

The CBRRA is of the considered opinion that a shared and partitioned land option is the correct one based on the following:

ADVANTAGES
  • Speed is the key. The school will be able to move onto its allocated portion of the land in a relatively short period of time. If all parties are in agreement (including the City and PGWC), then there should be no real impediment to a temporary lease being granted whilst the more lengthy land use matters are processed. The school has indicated that it requires the land sooner rather than later.
  • Whereas the school hasn’t provided the CBRRA with sufficiently detailed figures to substantiate its actual requirements, it was agreed by all parties that three more classrooms and a playground is required. The shared/partitioned option provides over 650m2 of play area and the potential for at least 5 more classrooms and the existing ablution facilities. There will also still be additional buildings that can be converted into ancillaries such as a kitchen, sick room etc. It also provides formal parking for the school and club.
  • More land than what the school originally stated that it required is being offered in this option. The school certainly hasn’t justified the use of 6000m2 of additional land and the associated congestion, like traffic, that would result from the greater development of the land is totally unacceptable given the current congested conditions in that area. The CBRRA is currently negotiating with Pick n Pay to rationalize its delivery method and schedule, as the main sufferers of the diesel fumes exhausted by the long queues of delivery trucks are the school children and teachers.
  • Another concern is that there is no indication that a dramatically increased Prep school enrolment can properly filter through to the Primary and High school.
  • The shared/partitioned option offers long-term stability and sustainability to the land; and both the school and club derive maximum benefit whilst the community retains its green belt and community centre. Camps Bay has no other community venue for kiddies parties, dances, 21st parties, weddings and wakes etc. Under the shared/partitioned option, the Schools’ Act will prohibit the use of the hall if alcohol is consumed, so very few functions will be permitted. Of course, the hall is also used for many other community activities, many of which are held during the day. The school cannot guarantee that the hall will be available at these times if, indeed, it needs the hall as desperately as it claims.
  • The City (through Deputy Mayor Neilson) has clearly stated that this is a non-renewable lease and that the school must sort itself out within the 10-year lease period – which means the Education Department will have to commit extensive capital to develop one of the existing Camps Bay school sites. This shared/partitioned option can keep both the school and club on City-leased land and if the synergy between the young and old of the community works, as we are sure it will, then this can be maintained into the future. The entire community and all its component groupings will then benefit.
  • One bit of history: The school reps indicated in September 2013 that they were interested in the shared option and this lead to the CBRRA developing this shared/partitioned proposal, which was presented to them shortly thereafter, once it was workshopped and agreed to by the club which is, after all, the lessee of the land. The school representatives seemed to be in favour of this option at the time.
  • This is a win-win situation for the school, community, club, Education Department and City - and will benefit all in the long run. We cannot see any real disadvantages to the abovementioned role-players if this option is adopted.

DISADVANTAGES OF THE CURRENT MAYCO RECOMMENDATION
  • The City officials’ report totally failed to audit or interrogate the school’s actual needs in terms of numbers and land requirements. This renders it susceptible to legal challenge and concomitant time loss.
  • The Mayco recommendation to full Council similarly fails to ascertain exact needs, but then recommends a course of action that fails to acknowledge the right of the club to exist. The club was, as recently as December 2012, assessed and audited by the City and found to be sustainable and in good standing.  This could be construed as irrational.
  • Deputy Mayor Neilson has further stated that the reason for the Mayco ignoring the shared option was that the school needed all the buildings available due to financial constraints. It is a contested legal point as to whether and how much compensation needs to be paid for the club’s buildings. However, given that the club built and paid for its buildings assets, it is clearly immoral to make an effective executive decision to steal another’s property. Expropriation without compensation is a principle the DA fights for at all levels and it should be no different in this case. Of further concern is that the school’s representatives have repeatedly stated that they have funding in the order of over R1m to effect the necessary works if a shared option was agreed.
  • The extensive land use processes, which will have to be pursued and approved prior to the club being evicted and the school moving onto the premises will be protracted if all parties do not buy into the process. The EIA report can take many years if challenged at all of its levels and, in fact, might not even return a positive recommendation. It is an inescapable reality that this will result in attrition on all sides, with the lose-lose scenario being the most likely outcome for school, club and community.

However, if all of the above is taken into account and if the necessary political will and community support is in place, Camps Bay can be the beneficiary of a properly considered political decision that makes community sense.
Madame Minister, we call on you to facilitate that decision.
Chris Willemse
Chair CBRRA

02 June 2014