Cape Town’s city centre has been chosen as the International Downtown Association’s (IDA’s) “Downtown of the Month” and is prominently featured on the homepage of this organisation – the world leader and champion for vital and liveable city centres.
The IDA was established in 1954 and has more than 650 member organisations in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. It is a guiding force in creating healthy and dynamic centres that anchor the interests of towns, cities and regions of the world.
“In many ways, being profiled as the Downtown of the Month is coming full circle,” says Andrew Boraine, Chief Executive of the Cape Town Partnership, the organisation founded in July 1999 to manage, promote and develop the Cape Town City Centre.
“The Partnership and the Central City Improvement District (CCID), together with our public and private sector partners, have achieved much over the past ten years, including urban management partnerships (90% reduction in serious crime, cleanest CBD in South Africa); innovative job creation schemes; investment attraction of between R14-18bn, with a further R20bn in the pipeline; redevelopment of over 170 buildings, many of which are heritage buildings; restoration of property values and municipal revenues; revitalisation of public spaces and pedestrian environments; and, the establishment of innovative cultural and energy efficiency programmes,” Boraine says.
CCID Chairman Theodore Yach says: ‘It is wonderful that 10 years of hard work have now been recognised by such an important international organisation. This augurs well for the city centre’s future.”
Additional recognition for the partnership and the CCID comes with the appointment of Andrew Boraine to the IDA Board from September 2009.
“Cape Town Tourism is thrilled at the announcement and we commend the incredible work done by the Cape Town Partnership and its stakeholders to establish Cape Town’s central city as one of the most desirable spaces in the world to visit, live, work and play,” says Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, CEO of Cape Town Tourism.
Visit www.ida-downtown.org for more details on the IDA, or www.capetownpartnership.co.za , for more on the information on the central city.
Source: Cape Town Tourism
