Cape Town - Plans for the return of the Open Streets festival in Bree Street where pedestrians would rule the road for a few hours, were well underway the City of Cape Town said
“We are pleased to be working with Open Streets Cape Town in returning to Bree Street to plant the seed for regular Open Streets programmes,” said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Transport for Cape Town Brett Herron.
On Sunday January 17, the usually busy Bree Street would be closed to vehicles from 10h00 to 15h00, making way for residents and visitors to share the space.
This, said Herron, formed part of the city's continuing efforts to “create a city that is inclusive, friendly and safe for all”. It follows numerous Open Streets in 2015 such as in Bree Street and is part of the City's partnership with the Open Streets organisation.
Participants on the day would be able to participate in street games, cycle, or just walk freely without the worry of passing vehicles.
Activities planned for the day included open mic, zumba, pole-dancing, gymnastics, chess, live graffiti, an art installation, music, and an exercise hub.
“We hope to see Open Streets become less of an event and more of a way of living, with shared streets in our city becoming more commonplace,” said Herron.
Herron added that he hoped this would inspire other communities to open their streets up to pedestrians for a few hours on a regular basis. “We are currently working with the organisers to establish a framework that can enable communities across Cape Town to host Open Streets events in future,” he said.
ANA