AGM 2024 Save the Date

As the year progresses, we invite all stakeholders to join us for Woodstock Improvement District’s Annual General Meeting (AGM 2024). This is a vital opportunity to reflect on our achievements over the past year and begin planning for 2025/26. Details below.

This year, we have worked on revising our Frequently Asked Questions with the City, revisiting the official definitions of a City Improvement District to create a better understanding of the CIDs and how we work.

Read on for more.

Save the Date!

We are excited to announce that AGM 2024 is just around the corner. All stakeholders are welcome to participate as we review our progress and set the direction for the year ahead.

Please note: Resolutions presented at the AGM can only be voted on by bonafide members. All non-members wishing to take part must be registered before Tuesday, 15 October 2024.

AGM Details

Date: Thursday, 24 October 2024
Time: 11:00
Venue: No 1 De Waal House, 172 Victoria Road, Woodstock, 7925

RSVP to info@wid.co.za.

Update to Our CID FAQs

We’ve recently updated our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section, providing a detailed overview of City Improvement Districts (CIDs) in the City of Cape Town. This update covers how CIDs are formed, their regulatory framework, the benefits they offer property owners, and the types of services they provide. Additionally, it explains the different types of CIDs and the process for establishing one.

For a comprehensive look, visit our FAQ page.

Here are some key updates:

  • What is a CID? A defined area where property owners contribute additional rates for supplementary services.
  • Types of Services Provided: Public safety, cleansing, infrastructure maintenance, and environmental projects.
  • How CIDs are Formed: A community-driven process with input from property owners.
  • CID Benefits: Increased safety, improved urban management, and enhanced property values.
  • Do Property Owners Have a Say? Yes, all property owners can participate, but only registered members can vote at meetings like the AGM. Membership is required to have a vote.
  • Can my CID additional rates be spent anywhere in the City? No, it is ring-fenced to be ploughed back exclusively into the CID

For more information, visit our FAQ page.

Meet our Woodstock Improvement District Managers!

Jason Roux and Kiyaam Jacobs are the two driving forces behind the Woodstock Improvement District. Jason has been our senior manager for some time, and Kiyaam is our new junior manager, dedicated to making Woodstock a safer and more vibrant place for all, with a focus on improving public spaces and safety.

Jason can be contacted directly on 062 883 7045 and Kiyaam is available on 074 750 1436 or at wsid2@geocentric.co.za.

General CID enquiries can be directed to info@wid.co.za.

For Public Safety Emergencies, contact our 24-hour control room on 021 565 0900.For other important contact numbers, visit wid.co.za/contact-us.

Winter Hope & Giving Back Responsibly  –  help combat poverty & inequality

Winter in Cape Town is a time in which poverty and homelessness become heightened social issues, because of the extremely harsh weather conditions. At the same time, the annual Mandela Day initiative coincides, taking place this 18 July, helping to bring hope and support to vulnerable communities.

Indigent people in South Africa are an inherent part of the cityscape, with hundreds of thousands of people homeless and living on the streets.

It is well-known that cash handouts are not a good solution for supporting people living on the streets  –  as these often serve to fuel the problem by funding addiction and other negative or self-perpetuating behaviour.

However, most of us would like to help in some way to combat poverty and inequality. For this reason, it’s important to work with known NGOs, nonprofits or charities, who have built social infrastructures and relationships that have longevity.

MES Cape Town - Mould, Empower, Serve

Mould, Empower, Serve  –  how the City Improvement Districts are working with MES

MES Cape Town is a key partner in the mission to sustainably rehome the homeless across various City Improvement Districts. Their extensive network of outreach and social relief programs provides the vital reach and resources our CID needs. Additionally, their responsive help desk is always available to assist with the immediate and short-term needs of the homeless and unemployed community.

We work closely with MES to identify individuals for casual labour on specific projects. Their team actively scouts promising candidates, placing them with us each week on a probationary basis as one of our on-the-ground workers, fondly known as our “Green Ants”. For those who show dedication, we offer pathways for them to become supervisors and advance their training, making them valuable members of our workforce in a way that allows us to support their growth.

Woodstock Improvement District 2022

To ensure the funds generated through our partnership are used effectively, we pay stipends directly to MES, which helps cover their living expenses sustainably throughout their stay.

Winter Hope 2024

MES is running a WinterHope campaign until the end of July, in a mission to spread hope and warmth this winter, by gathering essential items such as warm clothing, blankets, and nourishing food supplies.

Visit MES @mouldempowerserve on Facebook to see causes near you to support this winter.

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Winter Readiness, Wheelie Bin Safety and Woodstock Greening Initiative

As we head into the colder months, we’re preparing you with some winter readiness tips to keep both yourself and your property safe.

Additionally, we share some tips on keeping your wheelie bin safe so that you know it’ll always find its way back home, as well as some exciting news about a greening initiative being run in Woodstock.

And, we share some recent updates from our WID manager on their operational achievements in the CID.

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Quarter 1 update from Woodstock Improvement District

It’s been full steam ahead launching into 2024 for the Woodstock Improvement District. As we look forward to the Easter break, we share our CID’s stats and achievements for the first quarter of the year.

Don’t forget to review the Draft National Business Licensing Policy before 31 March if you haven’t done so already. And, we remind you to stay safe on the roads over this busy holiday period.

Quarter 1 stats (watch)

Have Your Say on the Draft National Business Licensing Policy by 31 March

Since 1994, a substantial body of new laws has emerged from all levels of government to fulfil the mandate presented by the 1996 Constitution. The journey towards a constitutional, democratic order began with the adoption of the Constitution in 1996 and has continued with the enactment of new laws and the amendment and/or repeal of old laws.

Part of developing new legislation and even amending existing legislation is the development of a policy paper that will inform the policy thrust and direction of the proposed legislation. The Department has developed the draft National Business Licensing Policy, which will inform the review of the Businesses Act of 1991.

Draft National Business Licensing Policy

Members of the public are hereby invited to send comments to MMasoga@dsbd.gov.za or submit by hand at The DTI Campus, Department of Small Business Development, 77 Meintjies Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria, Block G Ground Floor within 30 (thirty) days of publication of this notice. This means that the comments period is from the 1st of March 2024 to the 31st of March 2024.

Access the draft national business licensing policy here.

We encourage you to provide your comments by completing this survey at the link.

Road Resurfacing for Woodstock & Salt River

The City of Cape Town has announced the commencement of road resurfacing works along Victoria Road and Albert Road in the Woodstock and Salt River areas.

The project began on 25 March, and completion is expected by the end of June this year, weather permitting.

Work will be conducted on weekdays and Sundays between 8:30am and 3:30pm, with occasional night shifts from 6:30pm to 5:30am.

Read more here.

Stay Safe this Holiday Season

It’s a busy time of year on the roads and we urge you to take extreme caution at this time. Check your vehicle before embarking on long trips, be sure to take necessary breaks as the driver, remain aware of other road users and never, ever drink and drive.

Read more on our post on Road Safety Tips here.

Wishing you all a happy Easter!

Woodstock Art Guide

February is Cape Town art month – with two major programme highlights being the Cape Town Art Fair from 16-18 February at the CTICC, and the International Public Art Festival from 14-18 February across the City Centre. To celebrate Woodstock’s place on the Cape Town art map, we have compiled our own guide of all the artist hot spots to be found in Woodstock and neighbouring Salt River.⁠

From art galleries and artist studios, to some of the best art stores, framing shops and art colleges in the city, Woodstock is one of the most notable art routes in Cape Town.⁠

Woodstock Art Galleries

Stevenson Gallery

Buchanan Building, 160 Sir Lowry Road

@stevenson_za

Arguably one of Cape Town’s most important galleries, representing regional artists on the international art scene such as Zanele Muholi, Penny Siopis, Guy Tillim, Zander Blom, Wim Botha and Pieter Hugo, Stevenson has galleries in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Amsterdam and participates in Art Basel, Frieze London, Paris Photo, Art Basel Miami Beach and of course, Cape Town Art Fair.

Art It Is Gallery

76 Albert Road, Woodstock

Art Is It is a vibrant addition to the contemporary art scene, providing a space that both showcases new talent and removes the feeling of intimidation when visiting a gallery to view art.

@artitisgallery

131a Gallery

131 Sir Lowry Road

One of Cape Town’s top young galleries of contemporary art in a small space that hosts excellent exhibitions of solo artists and group shows, 131a Gallery is run by the founder of Cape Town’s artsy Lake magazine, Brett Bellairs.

@131agallery

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Safety & fire during the hot, dry and windy Cape Town summer months

Cape Town fire season occurs from November through May. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe.

Cape Town is notoriously prone to wildfires that occur in natural vegetation when it is hot and dry in the summer months, which coincide with the windy season – creating ideal conditions for wildfires to occur and quickly get out of control. This season has already been earmarked to be the worst fire season in 8 years.

Cape Town fires are particularly common in the Table Mountain National Park due to the natural conditions in our fynbos ecosystem. But, homes and businesses are not exempt from danger, as any fire can spread quickly and far – up to tens of kilometres from the source. It is most important to keep your home, family and business safe, protecting life and property, as our urban living spaces share a boundary with the national parks in many parts of Cape Town and the Western Cape.

In Cape Town, there are various organisations in place to manage fire safety and interventions that should be taken, both to avoid fire and to control it when it happens. 

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Woodstock Improvement District 2023 Roundup

It’s been another year of successes and tackling challenges head-on for the Woodstock Improvement District. As part of our renewed commitment to public safety and urban cleaning and management, we persist in leading the way toward the continuous improvement of Woodstock as a thriving residential and business hub.

Our team has increased their presence on the ground, resulting in improved statistics across the board for 2023. We’ve driven more kilometres in our patrol vehicles, engaged with more members of the public and attended to more service requests and urban defects than ever before. We’ll continue with this increased presence in the community in 2024 and the years beyond.

This year, with 51 CIDs now in operation in the City of Cape Town, the new CID by-law and policy has come into effect. Geocentric, who has now been working with city improvement district initiatives for more than 2 decades, is proud to be responsible for over 25% of the total CIDs in operation. 

Woodstock Improvement District
Woodstock Improvement District
Woodstock Improvement District

In addition to taking care of the public’s safety and urban cleaning, our CID placed a focus on greening areas across Woodstock in 2023. These urban beautification projects will be continued throughout 2024, in line with the goal of continuously upgrading our community. 

2023 Woodstock Improvement District Stats

Woodstock Improvement District Stats 2023
Woodstock WID in review 2023 - urban cleaning and management

“Despite the challenges of a struggling economy, ongoing load shedding and higher fuel prices, the aim of the Woodstock Improvement District remained focussed on delivering top-up services to the public spaces of Woodstock throughout the year,” says Gene Lohrentz of Geocentric Urban Management, tasked with the delivery of the WID services.

The WID Board and Geocentric management team is committed to finding innovative, efficient and cost-effective ways to continue delivering on the vision for a safer, cleaner, well-maintained and vibrant Woodstock.  We look forward to more opportunities to make a tangible difference in 2024.

Woodstock Improvement District Safety Tips

Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

As the festive season approaches, it is essential to prioritise safety at this time, as crime, accidents and fire hazards are usually on the rise during the holiday period.

Being mindful of potential risks and hazards can help safeguard you, your business and your property – from road safety considerations to vigilance against petty crimes in crowded business premises to more serious crimes such as hijacking and robbery. 

Along with keeping your personal safety in mind, if you are a business owner, it is imperative to be vigilant and proactive in implementing strategies that protect your assets, property and staff during the busiest time of year.

Prevention is better than cure. That’s why we urge property and business owners to make every effort to prepare their properties, businesses, staff and themselves against opportunists and criminals with our safety tips below:

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AGM 2023 Save the Date + spring cleaning & greening Woodstock

Come October, we hold our Annual General Meeting (AGM 2023) to review the year’s activities and begin our planning for 2024/25. This Spring, we have also undertaken several urban beautification projects, adding greenery and cleaning up public areas of Woodstock to improve the community experience of people living in, working in and visiting Woodstock.

AGM 2023 save the date

SAVE THE DATE! Our AGM 2023 is coming up

All stakeholders are invited to a review of the year’s activities and planning for 2024/25.

Resolutions presented at the AGM can only be voted for by bonafide members. All non-members wishing to take part must be registered before 16 October.

AGM Details

Wednesday, 25 October 2023, 12:00
No 1 De Waal House, 172 Victoria Road, Woodstock
RSVP to info@wid.co.za

Spring cleaning and greening Woodstock

The Woodstock ID embarked on small urban beautification projects this year, which we hope to continue into the next year. The project initially started with the revamping of some of the old public benches in Victoria Road with the help of local businesses. As part of the ongoing project, the WID augmented these seating areas with large planter pots to bring some greenery to the area and will also add public cigarette bins in their vicinity to keep the area clean.

More potted plants were also placed along Victoria Road near the intersection of Mountain Road to create a barrier between pedestrians and vehicle traffic in the adjacent parking area.

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Are You Ready to Go with the Cape Town Winter Flow? Essential Tips for a Smooth Season + Loadshedding Updates from the City

As the chilly and wet winter season approaches, it’s time to prepare ourselves for the unique challenges and delights that it brings.

From the brisk air to the rain-soaked streets, Cape Town winter demands our attention and readiness. Here, we explore practical tips to help you navigate the winter months with ease. From maintaining your home and business’ functionality to prioritising safety on the roads, these essential suggestions will ensure you’re well-prepared to go with the flow this winter. Let’s dive in and discover how to make the most of the wet season while keeping everything running smoothly.

Cape Town winter readiness tips

Are You Ready to Go with the Winter Flow? Clear the Clutter from Your Gutter Keep your gutters in optimal condition by ensuring they are undamaged, securely attached to your building, and free from any branches. Shine A Little Light Combat the winter darkness by checking your outdoor lights. Make sure they are waterproof, functioning properly, and free from obstructions. Trim Your Trees Give your trees the care they deserve. Trim any dead, diseased, or damaged branches to prevent breakage during storms. Stop the Slip Create a safe environment by adding doormats, anti-slip coatings, and slip grip strips to stairs and slippery tiles, reducing the risk of accidents. Clean Your Cameras Maintain clear visibility by cleaning the lenses of your cameras. Remove dust particles that can cause a muddy mess when it rains. Be Reliably Roadworthy Ensure the safety and punctuality of your employees by keeping your vehicle fleet in top shape. Check headlights, rear and brake lights, tyre tread, and windshield wipers. Protect Our Pedestrians Promote pedestrian safety by encouraging your staff to wear bright reflective clothing and to drive with caution on the roads. Report and Respond Take action when needed. Report instances of flooding or blocked drains through www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequests or the Call Centre on 0860 103 089. Power outages can be reported via SMS to 31220 or email power@capetown.gov.za. In case of emergencies, dial 107 from a landline or 021 480 7700 from a cell phone to reach the Public Emergency Communication Centre.
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