R71m revamp for Rockey Street
Lucky Sindane
15 December 2004
Rockey/Raleigh Street, the famous heart of the Johannesburg suburb of Yeoville, is set for a R71-million facelift over the next four years.
The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) launched the regeneration project with a street clean-up last week attended by residents from Yeoville, Bellevue, Bellevue East and the area's interim stakeholder liaison forum.
"This was to encourage the community members to keep the street clean and help by-law enforcers by reporting any unlawful incident", said JDA assistant development manager Seipati More.
The aim of the regeneration project is to attract new investment into the area, as well as to restore the street to its former glory as the symbolic heart and soul of Yeoville.
"As an organisation we have a good track record in regeneration initiatives", said JDA marketing and communications executive Tshepo Nkosi. "One of our most recent and successful case studies is the Newtown cultural
precinct. We have restored pride in the area and are drawing audiences and business back to the area.
"Using the same strategies, and with the co-operation of the community and stakeholders, we will restore pride to the once glorious Rockey/Raleigh Street."
The Yeoville regeneration project will include intensive urban management, economic development, public environment upgrading and marketing.
"We are currently busy with the first project, which will focus on by-law enforcement, town planning scheme enforcement, informal trade control and the improvement of delivery of services by the City's utilities and public environment management", More said.
The project identifies different zones for different activities along the length of Rockey/Raleigh Street.
The strategy sees the section from Fortesque to Kenmere streets being zoned as a civic node with a focus on public services.
The library will be moved into an empty City Power building nearby,
and the old police station will be used for social services. Next to it will be the new police station, to be built by the Department of Public Works, with a clinic alongside.
Further down Rockey/Raleigh Street, an entertainment section will be established between Cavendish and Bezuidenhout streets, and investment in a small business hub and support centre will see the creation of a more dynamic business environment.
"The vision we have developed for Yeoville Rockey/Raleigh Street is that it will be an attractive, well maintained, safe, secure and convenient urban environment, which is sustained by a vibrant local mixed-use economy, providing opportunities for convenient shopping, accessible retail, entertainment, recreation and social services facilities, predominantly to the neighbourhood community and attractive to the sub-regional community", Nkosi said.
Source: City of Johannesburg
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