Corridors of Freedom to retain city’s heritage sites

 

The establishment of the Corridors of Freedom as a way of reversing apartheid spatial development in Johannesburg will not ride roughshod over the city’s most-valued and treasured heritage sites and resources.

 

This assurance was given by Linah Dube, the City of Johannesburg’s Assistant Director: Development Planning and Facilitation. As a result, the City is in the process of appointing service providers to undertake heritage impact assessments for three of the corridors to be established in the city – the Louis Botha Avenue Corridor, Empire-Perth Roads Corridor and the Turffontein Corridor. 

 

“Heritage conservation has been identified as an integral part of the planning process. The aim of the heritage study is to assess, identify and document heritage resources within the surveyed area,” she explains.

 

In accordance with the National Heritage Resources Act, heritage sites will be assessed in terms of their cultural value, architectural and aesthetic qualities, as well as social history. 

“An essential part of this exercise will be the determination of various interventions that seek to protect, preserve and enhance some of the identified heritage areas based on their inherent value and contribution to the broader development mission for the corridors,” Dube says.

 

As part of achieving the desired outcome, the City has prepared strategic area frameworks for the three corridors. The aim is to develop medium- to long-term plans and implementation strategies for the development of the Corridors of Freedom.

Heritage areas along the Louis Botha Avenue Corridor include the bus stop and retaining stone wall in Berea, Beacon Royale, Victory Theatre, Radium Beer Hall, Doll House, the St Hubert Catholic Church and the Alexandra Health Community Clinic.

 

Along the Empire-Perth Roads Corridor, the following heritage areas have been identified: Rand Steam Laundries, Vrededorp-Fietas, Parktown, Westdene Bus Disaster Memorial, Sophiatown, Kingsway Mansions, Brahmin Temple, Irish Monument, The Refinery, Atlas Bakery, Melville Koppies, Johannesburg Country Club and Lindfield on Richmond Avenue.

Heritage areas along the Turffontein Corridor include the Booysens Hotel, Cullumshiel in Oakdene, St Mary’s Children’s Home, Crown Mines Head Office, Turffontein Race Course, Sir Abe Bailey’s Racing Stables and the Salvation Army Family Care Centre.

 

The heritage impact assessments are expected to be completed within 12 months from the date of appointment. 

“We are hoping to have appointed by the end of the year,” Dube says.

“The future spatial vision for the City is based on an economically and socially transformed city that is more sustainable, resilient and liveable. The public transportation network is the backbone of the City’s spatial restructuring strategy. The intention is to optimise development in and around high density movement corridors to create more inclusive and accessible opportunities for the residents of Johannesburg and to create economies of scale that are attractive to investors.”