Paid parking in the pipeline for Paarl CBD
2010-04-08
THE public parking areas in the Paarl CBD will be the first areas where Paarlites will see changes, following the approval of the public/private partnership with Anytime Investments by the Drakenstein Municipal Council. The areas to be upgraded are Wamakers Square (behind Pick n Pay Centre), Jan Phillips Square and the northern section of Patriot Square. According to developer Johan Pauw, upgrading (similar to that of Van der Lingen Square) will start soon. “The upgrading and securing of the parking areas will be a priority. This will include entrance and exit control points with motorists paying for time used in the parking areas. “Free parking will be available for the first hour,” he said. The lease fee will be raised from monthly parking fees. The agreement also allows for the leasing of the southern section of Patriot Square and other public spaces for a period of 30 years for commercial development, with the option to renew for a further period of 20 years. A shopping centre with underground parking at the corner of Van der Lingen and Derksen Streets is being considered. The scheme is based on the premise that Paarl’s CBD is underutilised but viable, and needs to be repackaged as a modern shopping mall. * The owner of a dilapidated house next to Patriot Square (at the corner of Derksen and Loop Streets) has been forced by the Municipality to fence the site and pay for a security guard to ensure that homeless people do not live there. The deterioration of the 19th century house, which was effectively being demolished by neglect, caused an outcry, especially from property owners in the area.
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