The founding committee members of the proposed Upper Kenilworth Improvement District (UKID) are calling on the community to support establishing this new initiative.
The UKID will function in the area bounded by Harfield Road, Main Road, the railway line and Smithers/Indian roads. It also includes the block bounded by Aliwal Road, Tennant Road, Mains Avenue and Main Road. It includes the Kenilworth Village business precinct but does not, at this stage, include the residential properties on the western side of Main Road.
Chairperson of the proposed UKID, Chris Bertie, says the idea for the entity was conceived in April last year, with safety concerns in the community being a prime motivation.
“I realised that we had problem in our Kenilworth village when my wife and I no longer felt safe walking 100m down the road to our local restaurants.”
Cleanliness and homelessness had not been addressed in a coordinated or effective manner, he said.
According to Mr Bertie, the UKID will improve safety with foot patrols, three tactical-response vehicles and CCTV cameras; hire contractors to provide a cleaning service; stay abreast of infrastructure problems; speak for the area on potential building developments; work with the Passenger Railway Agency of South Africa (PRASA); work with the City on social challenges in the area; and provide a dedicated social worker to interact with the homeless, drug-abusers and sex-workers.
The vice chairman of the steering committee, Peter Golding, said: “After discussing the challenges facing our community with many residents and business owners, we realised that all of us in this community are affected by these issues.
“We need to work on these challenges together, so we’re asking the community to review the business plan, attend a public meeting to seek answers to any questions they might have, and hopefully vote yes for the establishment of the Upper Kenilworth Improvement District.”
Mayoral committee member for spatial planning and environment Eddie Andrews said the UKID would present its business plan to the community at public meetings.
Voting for the establishment of the UKID will start after the first public meeting, at Voortrekker High School, in Salisbury Road, Kenilworth, on Thursday September 1, at 6pm. A second meeting will be held on Tuesday September 6, at the same location.
During September, UKID committee members will be present on Saturday mornings, on the corner of Summerley Road and the Main Road, to discuss issues and answer questions. For more information, visit ukid.co.za or email committee@ukid.co.za
