Welcome to the Joburg Central Newsletter for July 2010

Phew! The World Cup is almost over, and we made it in one piece! But ... was it what we really thought it would be, and will the legacy it leaves be of benefit to some ... or all of us? Read on to make up your own mind. You could even make a comment!

Starting this month, there will be mini photo essays to help readers of this newsletter envisage what they are missing by staying in their offices, or behind their fences and walls. Or is that the people more north of the CBD? Anyway, this month, all you have to do is make a mahala click on the 'read more' section of the article on the Johannesburg Art Gallery to get a glimpse of what this amazing space has on offer this July.

Have a good month! And remember, a wise man keepeth his laugh! 

 The Joburg Central team

End Street Park looking good

End Street Park is a newly-completed JDA project. The site is abutted by End Street to the east, Noord Street to the north, Nugget Street to the west and Bree Street to the South.

The site boasts the following features: two artificial turf soccer fields, two rubberized play areas, (one for pre-school kids and another for primary school kids and above), on-site ablution facilities, 24 hour surveillance, and on-site cleaning and maintenance.

Photo: Kids love to use the amenities at End Street Park

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Vuvuzela players disappointed

Members of the South Africa Vuvuzela Philharmonic Orchestra, widely considered to be among the best large-scale monotonic wind instrument ensembles in the world, have told reporters they were furious over the recent outbreaks of international soccer matches during their traditional outdoor concerts.

Photo: It appears that the tradition of blowing vuvuzelas stretches far back into our history

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Affordable housing in the inner city

Adapted from Romaana Naidoo’s article on www.joburg.org.za

Middle income earners can rent affordable apartments close to work in the inner city at the award-winning Cavendish Chambers.

The recently renovated 16-storey building in the inner city was awarded with Joburg's most prominent accolade, the Halala Awards, under the Living Joburg category, for its regeneration efforts.

Photo: Cavendish Chambers has been extensively renovated
 

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Property owners obtain certainty

This press release comes from the DA

In a landmark judgment handed down by the Constitutional Court last month, the constitutional legal standing of the Spatial Planning Policies of the City of Johannesburg and town planning policies of city councils across the country have been secured.

This will provide certainty to property owners who may be worried that neighbouring properties can be rezoned contrary to the local planning policy of the Council.
 
Photo: Not just any kind of building can be built anywhere anymore, and this is good news, says DA Councillor Christo Botes

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Independent cinema at The Bioscope

What once started as a small screening project in the depths of the Wits Television Department in 2007, grew into a thesis on the viability of setting up an independent cinema in Johannesburg.

The chance to screen alternative films at Arts on Main saw the birth of The Bioscope.

Photo: The Bioscope is all about promoting independent cinema

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Deep Play at JAG

Deep Play, a multi-media installation by Harun Farocki within the framework of Football meets Culture, is currently on exhibition at the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG).

Farocki has erected 12 screens which all show images from the final of the last World Cup. These images from different cameras are all shown simultaneously, along with digitally processed pictures which offer a mathematical analysis of the game. The net effect destroys the intended perfection of the broadcast - and makes the fetish that is football obvious.

Photo: The soccer exhibition Deep Play is at the Johannesburg Art Gallery this month. Click on the 'read more' button to see what else is on offer at this space in July

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