The activities associated with the World Cup event should not impact negatively on biodiversity or the natural environment. Stadia and host cities should promote the use of indigenous vegetation for landscaping in and around key venues. City beautification projects linked to the event, such as tree-planting and urban regeneration projects, are to be encouraged. Urban greening and rehabilitation of disturbed habitats, as well as the protection of important and sensitive urban ecosystems and areas serving as biodiversity corridors linked to the event, should be promoted. Raising awareness about the natural and built heritage of Host City Cape Town/the country/the region is critical. It is hoped that the event’s legacy will include sustainable job creation related to biodiversity conservation.

The projects

• Indigenous gardening training programme for Green Point Urban Park staff
• Biodiversity showcase garden at Green Point Urban Park
• Student landscape design competition for Mouille Point beachfront and promenade
• City beautification and tree-planting campaign
  
  

Project progress

• Indigenous gardening training programme for Green Point Urban Park staff
• Biodiversity showcase garden at Green Point Urban Park
  
  

The Green Point Park (GPP) adjacent to Green Point Stadium will be a new public park open to residents and visitors. The park is being developed according to ecological principles, with energy and water efficiency, multi-purpose spaces and indigenous landscaping incorporated into the design.

A section of the GPP is earmarked for the development of a biodiversity showcase garden of indigenous, water-wise plants that display the region’s biodiversity, and demonstrate environmentally responsible gardening and horticultural practices. A specialist consultant trained in botany and horticulture, and experienced in the development of interpretive signage, will be contracted to work with the GPP’s landscape architects to develop the garden.

The biodiversity showcase garden has been selected as one of the City of Cape Town’s (CoCT) Local Action for Biodiversity (LAB) projects, and will also be one of the focus areas of the CoCT’s campaign to promote biodiversity awareness during the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.

In lieu of a training programme for landscapers, the service provider will provide hands-on training to the landscape contractors responsible for maintaining the garden for a period of two years after completion of the project.

Lessons learnt on indigenous gardening training programme and biodiversity showcase garden

It is fortunate that the biodiversity showcase garden can be established at the same time as the remainder of the GPP. The garden can integrate with the series of wetlands and water ponds being established, and interpretive signage can be designed to integrate with the directional signage in the park. Although arrangements have been made to oversee the ongoing maintenance of the park for a period of at least 18 months, it will be beneficial if the garden can be overseen by staff associated with the proposed ECO Centre in the park.

Student landscape design competition for Mouille Point beachfront and promenade

A competition was launched in April 2008 for landscape design and architectural students from UCT and CPUT to show how they would transform the Mouille Point beachfront and promenade, located along the main protocol route leading to Green Point Stadium, ahead of 2010. The brief required the students to create a safe, spacious and aesthetically pleasing inner-city recreational area, allowing for a diversity of uses. The students were also required to include 2010 Green Goal principles, such as biodiversity, green building, mobility, efficient water use, and waste minimisation and recycling, in their designs.

The submissions were reviewed by a panel of judges, including representatives from the CoCT, PGWC, CPUT, OVP Landscape Architects, and the Cape Town Partnership. The winners were announced on 8 May 2008, with Scott Masson (UCT) and Marica Fick (CPUT) winning the top prizes.

The upgrade of Mouille Point beachfront has been delayed due to urgent repairs that had to be carried out to stabilise the sea wall after it had been badly damaged in a series of winter storms. The work is nearing completion, and the detailed design of the landscape upgrade, informed by the students’ submissions, is under way. The upgrade of the promenade will commence after the World Cup event in 2010.

Lessons learnt on student landscape design competition

The Mouille Point student landscape design competition was the first 2010 Green Goal project to be completed. At the time, it was important to show that the Green Goal programme was on track, and that it was contributing to the greening of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in Cape Town. The competition increased the media profile of the 2010 Green Goal programme, and focused politicians and senior officials’ attention.

The students’ designs were of a very high standard, and have informed the brief for the detailed design of the Mouille Point promenade upgrade.

The role that interns can play to advance individual Green Goal projects was highlighted. Interns working in the CoCT Environmental and Resource Management Department compiled the background documents, workshopped the details with the students, arranged the judging, and organised the launch function. The project provided the interns with valuable work experience and skills in project management, communications and events management.

City beautification and tree-planting campaign

The image and appearance of Cape Town and the Western Cape during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ will be the city and region’s business card, not only for fans visiting Cape Town, but also for the millions of people around the world following the tournament on television. By signing the HCA, Host City Cape Town agreed to render the city as attractive as possible for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. City beautification relates to enhancing the visual appeal of the city, and includes the screening of construction sites visible from event locations, and limiting construction works in key event areas.

The 2010 city beautification programme therefore aims to meet the following goals:

• Improvement and maintenance of existing assets
• Investment in beautification of previously undeveloped areas
• Creating a vibrant and exciting atmosphere in the city ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™
• Excellence in design and creativity
• Promotion of a spirit of community and civic engagement through involvement in local beautification programmes
• Gaining maximum financial advantage and media exposure through opportunities created by city decoration and beautification
  
  

A detailed scoping exercise was undertaken between January and June 2009 to identify and map areas where improvements and maintenance must be prioritised ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The maps and detailed description of issues were presented to the CoCT’s executive management team for consideration and action. A number of new projects have been initiated, including landscaping and tree-planting projects in the vicinity of the Venue Specific Training Sites (VSTs) in two of Cape Town’s previously disadvantaged areas.

The city beautification programme offers communities the opportunity to be involved in preparing the city to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Community beautification and clean-up campaigns with the youth and community members, facilitated by local soccer clubs, schools, environmental cooperatives and NGOs, will not only benefit the environment, but will create a sense of anticipation and ownership of the World Cup event. A prominent Cape Town businesswoman donated 50 mature trees, and discussions are under way with other organisations who have indicated that they also wish to participate in projects to improve their local environment ahead of the 2010 event.

Lessons learnt on city beautification and tree planting campaign

The scoping of the 2010 beautification project highlighted the great need for investment in the city’s open spaces and visible infrastructure. In many cases, capital budget constraints force repairs to be carried out on infrastructure that should rather be replaced or renewed.

The city beautification workstream is one of the largest 2010 workstreams, involving a host of CoCT departments and agencies. The majority of stakeholders have accepted the challenge of city beautification with enthusiasm, excited to be part of the process to prepare the city to host the World Cup event. Some departments had to reprioritise maintenance, and will require additional standby teams should emergency maintenance and repairs be required. Funding has been secured for key projects, which will make a visible contribution to the beautification of the city ahead of the final draw in December 2009 and the actual World Cup event in 2010.

The support provided by a Dutch international intern to scope the extent of the 2010 city beautification programme was invaluable. The site visits and mapping formed part of the intern’s final-year thesis to qualify for a degree in Engineering and Urban Design.

Key references and source material

• Announcement of Mouille Point promenade student design competition.
• City of Cape Town. August 2009. Draft 2010 City Beautification Plan.
• FIFA. November 2008. City Beautification Guideline.
• OVP Landscape Architects. August 2009. Detailed design of Green Point Park.
• Ozinsky, S, Ackermann, K., and Lamb, S. January 2009. Green Point Park and ECO Centre Business Plan. (Cape Town, South Africa). Commissioned by City of Cape Town.
• Submissions by students from CPUT and UCT.