The City’s Urban Planning and Design expo started today, 28 July 2023. Learners from various high schools such as Westerford High; Isilimela High; Langa High and the Leap Science and Maths School in Belgravia attended the first day where the focus was to highlight the career possibilities in urban planning and design as well as the bursary; internship and job-shadowing opportunities the City offers to aspiring learners and graduates. The exhibition will be available for viewing at the Civic Centre until 2 August and showcases the City’s multiple projects and planning initiatives aimed at accommodating future population growth and sustainable development in Cape Town.
‘It was encouraging for me to see all the interested and ambitious high school learners attend the first day of the Urban Planning and Design expo today. They had an opportunity to meet our talented professionals and learnt about the career possibilities within this sector such as architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, town planning and construction management. By exposing them to these professions along with information about the assistance the City offers graduates and learners to further their studies or provide the necessary work experience, we are empowering these young minds with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their future,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
Furthermore, the residents in attendance were able to learn more about how the Spatial Planning and Urban Design Department is involved in influencing the built environment in Cape Town, and browse informative posters and videos about completed, current and future projects.
‘I invite residents, learners, residents associations, our business sector and professionals involved in the urban realm, to visit the exhibition. Our officials will be present to answer any questions you may have about our policies and projects,’ said Alderman Andrews.
Some of the upcoming highlights of the expo include:
• 1 August (on the hour presentations from 11:00 to 15:00): learning exchange presentations by top-performing students and lecturers from local universities to interested staff of various departments.
• 2 August (14:00): Presentation to members of the public, including ratepayers, community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, City Improvement District owners, real estate brokers and developers.
All of those who are interested in learning more about how the City plans for population growth and development in Cape Town should make use of this opportunity to learn more about the policies and projects spearheaded by the City’s Urban Planning and Design Department.
‘Demystifying our work is an important part of making residents, planning professionals, and all of those who live and work in Cape Town understand how this is being done, and how to contribute to our collective effort in a meaningful way.
‘More people are moving to Cape Town in search of better lives and opportunities. The City, as a forward thinking and responsible administration, is managing this growth on multiple levels. In this sense, we are guided by spatial plans that stipulate our collective vision of how our finite land should be used, what should be developed – how, and where, to cater for our needs. These spatial development frameworks have been reviewed and revised over the past 24 months or so. Many residents and stakeholders participated in these processes. These revised frameworks assist us in creating a more equitable and liveable city, where more people will experience improvements to equalise access to opportunities, with due consideration given to the protection of our environment and natural assets, such as our coastline, sensitive and protected areas, and our cultural heritage.
Exhibition information:
- Friday, 28 July; Tuesday, 1 August; Wednesday, 2 August 2023
- From 11:00 to 16:00
- Civic Centre, 12 Hertzog Boulevard, Cape Town
- 2nd Floor Concourse level
- Parking is available at the Woodstock Entrance Parking Area at the Civic Centre. Register by clicking on the link on the invitation
The exhibition covers:
· Our spatial planning policy – Overviews of the newly-approved Municipal Spatial Development Framework, the eight District Plans (integrated Spatial Development Frameworks and Environmental Management Frameworks), and Local Spatial Development Frameworks;
· Some of the tools and mechanisms we are developing to assist and guide our decision making processes;
· How we do spatial planning and how to get involved;
· How to ensure Cape Town’s growth is managed in a way that protects our finite resources and improves our resilience against unforeseen shocks and climate change;
· Designing for the future, come see how we design clever, liveable, sustainable spaces;
· Our capital projects – where we are busy doing what; and
· Provide an overview of the department and the various teams that make all the work possible.
‘I hope to see residents and learners arriving in their numbers. Please set aside some time on one of these days to come and view our work, and meet our professional experts,’ said Alderman Andrews.
