Paige Nick, Green Point
Did you know that more than three hundred and something events take place in Green Point every year? Nope, I didn’t know that either until I was invited to join the Green Point Events Committee towards the end of last year.
In fact until then I didn’t even know there was a Green Point Events Committee. Every day is a school day.
It’s part of the Green Point Ratepayers’ Association (I knew about that, but only vaguely) that runs a bunch of different committees, which see to the smooth day-to-day running of our area.
All those things that just happen without us really noticing, like neighbourhood watches and recycling programmes and mountain-side clean ups.
The little things that make Green Point the kind of place that sees people from all over the country and even the world, flocking here to enjoy some of those more than three hundred and something events every year.
From the little get-togethers, like a couple of hundred people on the promenade for an Autism Awareness Walk on a sunny Sunday morning, to the hundreds of thousands of people who turn up here for our massive events, such as the annual Cape Town Cycle Tour, which I believe is the largest timed cycle race in the world. Or the Cape Town Carnival, or the countless athletics meetings that take place at our world-class athletics stadium every week. Not to mention all the concerts at the stadium. Everything from Michael Buble, Celine Dion and Lionel Richie to Linkin Park and Eminem. (We even have a Facebook page called Green Point Events, to keep everyone informed about what events are coming up in the hood every week – do join it.)
That’s the nice thing about Green Point, maybe it’s even one of the reasons you chose to live here. It’s vibrant and alive, and part of one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline on the planet. And the best part is, it’s all ours.
Sure people visit every day of the year, but after the concert is all packed up, or the last person has crossed whatever finish line, or taken their selfie with a perfect promenade sunset, those people go home.
While we have the privilege of getting to stay. So Green Point residents, this is your place, why not join your association? The more members we have the louder voice we have in the face of the City council. And it means you get some small say in the way we run this hood, and sometimes it’s kind of nice to know how things tick, or that you’ve made a contribution that has helped make this a better neighbourhood than it was the day before.
If that’s even possible.
