George Herald | Action to boost CBD on a roll

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Action to boost CBD on a roll
16:00 (GMT+2), Thu, 05 July 2012

Guy Harris (right), facilitator of the business survey, hands over the task team’s report to Mayor Charles Standers. With them is Carli Bunding-Venter, head of local economic development and a member of the task team.

GEORGE NEWS - Definitive action to give the CBD a new lease of life is on a roll.

This was evident at a feedback meeting where the results of a business survey in the CBD, done in the first half of June, were announced. The results will be used to develop a focused action strategy to revitalise the town centre.

Fifty-five businesses participated in the survey. Analysis of the results by the task team that is driving the process has identified four key issues that require attention: there is a need for a strategy to bring people back to the CBD; a need for information and staff training to improve business performance; crime must be addressed; and opportunity must be created to enhance a customer service culture and differentiate the CBD.

A fifth issue, that of parking and car guards, was also put forward as a concern of the task team.

From these issues, the task team formulated six recommendations, each of which will be developed further and implemented by an action team of volunteers from business, relevant NGOs and representatives from government departments. At the feedback meeting, eager volunteers already reported to serve on these teams.

The six recommendations are:
• A joint initiative of business and the municipality must be launched to revitalise the CBD. The idea is to clean up, promote and market the CBD as a safe and attractive environment for business, events, tourism and lifestyle activities.

• Crime must be addressed. A large number of roleplayers, including the police, municipality and private sector should be "actively committed" to clean up crime in the CBD in a humane and strategic manner.

• A culture of customer service must be created by establishing a programme of customer service training (such as SA Host), so that the CBD can distinguish itself as a centre of service excellence.

• A platform for information sharing must be created in partnership with existing business organisations to make available information on topics such as municipal bylaws, tendering opportunities, BEE certification, marketing and legislation affecting business.

• Parking issues must be resolved through a plan of action with municial law enforcement to revise and enforce parking regulations.

• A task team including the police, Law Enforcement, NGOs, faith-based organisations and business must implement a programme of training and education to enable the establishment of an organised car guard network.

According to Carli Bunding-Venter, head of Local Economic Development who is on the task team, a large number of people volunteered to be part of the six action teams.

These teams or representatives will meet with Bunding-Venter on 11 July to review plans and discuss any obstacles. Meetings may be held on a regular basis.

A public feedback on the progress made is also planned for early December and the public will be kept up to date on the municipal website. The survey is part of the George CBD Business Retention and Expansion Programme of the George Municipality.

It is the second phase of the municipality's Economic Development Competitiveness Initiative which is aimed at providing a vigorous and efficient strategy for economic development. In the first phase, a number of initiatives for the development of the local economy were launched between February and April. These are ongoing.

• Die resultate van 'n opname onder 55 besighede in die sakekern is Dinsdag bekend gemaak en gaan gebruik word om daadwerklike aksie te neem om nuwe lewe in die SSK te blaas. Ses aksiespanne is saamgestel wat die aanbevelings van 'n taakspan wat die proses dryf, tot uitvoer sal bring.

ARTICLE AND PHOTO: ALIDA DE BEER, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST


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Your Comments...


Stroller says:	06/07/2012 20:24:45
guyharrissa. You don't spell so good either: "necessaerily". I'll shop where I feel comfortable and hassle free.........and it will NOT be in the CBD; it is the pits. Enjoy your weekend with the drunks and trash in the CBD. I'm at the Mall, comfortable, safe and with people I know.

guyharrissa says:	06/07/2012 16:36:27
Stroller, think you are jumping to conclusion that it will necessaerily be parking meters. One of the keys is to avoid all day parkers taking up spaces near popular shops like Woolies and the Post Office. Email me if you want to participate in the Action Team on parking guypharris@worldonline. Hopefully Point No6 will also keep you coming back to the CBD - and staying longer. Have a good weekend.

Stroller says:	06/07/2012 13:42:59
Point Nº 5. You can't spell. It is 'monkeypality'. If I have to pay for parking in the CBD, I won't go there. In fact, the only reason I frequent the CBD is to shop at Woollies, go to the Post Office and leave. I do not need the hassle of beggars and drunk parking attendants. It is a place frequented by zeros!