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PROGRAMME

HERITAGE TODAY! - A programme for all those who care about out old buildings. They can now listen to the podcasts by clicking on the icon.

Tuesday mornings at 10h45                        Stay tuned.

1st Quarter Programme Jan to Mar 2011 - click to download word document else view it on-line under the quarterly programmes section. Click to view the Newsletter.

EXCELLENT NEWS!

At last Eikenlaan, Mike’s Kitchen, has finally been declared a Provincial Heritage Site – it’s safe now.

!2 Seymour Avenue – the big house designed by Kallenbach and Kennedy in 1912-  has also been declared.

The cottages in Erin Road, Doornfontein, overlooking Ellis Park have been declared at our request.

Berea Fire Station which is generally a favourite.

Kirchoff’s little building in town.

Beacon Royal in Yeoville –a beacon of hope and very attractive Art Deco block of flats seen from Louis Botha Avenue  This was also one of our nominations.

St Aubyn’s  60 Westcliff Drive which many people knew as the Missak Museum and which was bought by Ingrid Staude Griessel and restored by the architect Kate Otten has at long last been declared a Provincial Heritage Site

RISSIK STREET POST OFFICE Restoration watch

Tuesday 18th October 2011

Most fortunately both Mlungisi Shongwe and Brian Mahlungu of the Johannesburg Property Company joined Flo Bird on Heritage Today to explain the progress being made on the restoration programme. Mlungisi denied vehemently that the site had been abandoned. There were still a few workers engaged in tidying up and finishing off Phase 1. He also assured Flo that the site was properly guarded night and day.

They were at paints to point out that they had had one proposal from the private sector which needed to be evaluated alongside the interest from the City for using it as the office of the Executive Mayor. Brian welcomed ideas, help and advice from the community especially the heritage specialists. He even suggested getting heritage specialists to train apprentices on the job. While we are definitely very short of artisans and craftsmen to handle heritage buildings, Flo did not think the Rissik Street Post Office was a good place to start practising skills. But if there are specialists out there who would be interested it would be worth speaking to the heritage architect in charge.
One suggestion she wanted to make was that the ground floor which was designed to people in and out of the post office should retain its accessibility and perhaps the Mayor would be willing to set aside a time when he was open to people coming in with ideas, complaints or queries. Open Government.
The question of the unroofed clock tower was raised. Mlungisi answered that the insurance company was refusing to cover these costs.
Flo asked the gentlemen to convey the message to Alexander Forbes , responsible for the insurance, in no uncertain terms. ‘STOP QUIBBLING. This is the rainy season. Just do you public duty to the people of Johannesburg and ensure clock tower is roofed NOW. I am going to haunt you till you do and I hope there are many other Joburg people who will not let Alexander Forbes forget their responsibility for saving our clocktower. “
Now everyone. Get tweeting! Spread the word. We want Alexander Forbes to roof the clocktower before Christmas.
Flo Bird

Read all about it on our Heritage page - click here to switch to heritage page

Heritage News

Click here to read all about it!

Click here to view our Westcliff page

 

PLEASE PROTECT OUR JACARANDA HERITAGE FROM THE ANTS

Click here to view the Heritage Page

Click here to enter the link to our Johannesburg Heritage site or type in www.joburgheritage.co.za

IS YOUR HOUSE CONSERVATION-WORTHY?

Two lists of heritage buildings have been submitted to the City of Johannesburg by the trust. These are arranged by suburb and then by Street. To check whether your house is on the list go to :

PARKTOWN  
  or
WESTCLIFF

NB        The Categories are simply the Trust’s evaluation, not an official status at all. And a few are newer buildings, less than 60 years old.

AA        Very important aesthetically, historically, lovely gardens and in good condition

A          Very important historically and/ or architecturally

B          A fine building, often lovely garden setting, less significant historically OR a very important property not in good condition or altered unsympathetically

C          A good building of its time, possibly altered or extended but still significant to the street and the context.

FEEDBACK PLEASE !

CHANGING OR DEMOLISHING OLD BUILDINGS

For the information of our members and anyone interested in heritage buildings we include the form which has to be completed by anyone wanting to alter or demolish structures which are more than 60 years old.

NB: All structures over 60 years old are automatically protected by the national heritage Resources Act and a permit is required from the PROVINCIAL HERITAGE RESOURCES AUTHORITY  before these can be altered or demolished or additions made.

Set up to retain the historic architectural heritage of Parktown and Westcliff, the Trust tries to make this heritage accessible through tours of the buildings and the area, publications and special programmes for school children.

It is a fund-raising organisation and donations are most welcome.

Contact Details

	+27-11-482-3349  weekdays between 09:00 and 13:00 (GMT+2) or use that number to leave a message or send a fax to (011) 482 7807 .
	Northwards 21 Rockridge Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2193;
	parktown@intekom.co.za www.parktownheritage.co.za
	School Tours:- education@parktownheritage.co.za
	Visit our office at the same address, weekdays between 09.00–13.00

Last Edit : 10/01/2012