Matthew Griffiths, Sea Point
Given that the Atlantic Sun is written for such a small area, I don’t see how this mistake could be made!
The parklet takes up two bays.
When I walk past, there are always plenty of bays available in the area. The shop owner expresses concern for a lack of parking, of which there is plenty, but completely fails to acknowledge the foot traffic of pedestrians a public space generates.
The parklet has had someone using it every single time I walk past. Diverse groups from youth to tourists to domestic workers.
The parklet has no noticeable benefit to Blok- it has no noticeable marketing benefit, and uses the two bays outside their office. No one who uses the parklet is likely to buy a Blok apartment.
We need more public spaces and here’s one that was paid for, and now the city wants to shut it down just for two measly parking bays?
That’s ludicrous given the number of people that make use of the space as a parklet rather than a parking bay.
Is the city being built for cars or people? The fact that a majority petition is turned down over a few individual objectors also shows a complete lack of democracy.
Shutting down the parklet takes a facility away from the majority and gives it to a privileged, car driving minority.
The Atlantic Sun published the wrong photograph with last week’s “Parked off” story.
We apologise for the error.
