The Observatory enclosure north of the golf course will stay - for now. "Thanks to more than twenty non-paying residents coming on board, the booms will stay," says Mannie Levin of the Observatory Residents Forum (ORF), who manages the security in the enclosure.
"But don't be too relieved yet: although more than 73% of the residents in the enclosure are now contributing, Outlawz, the security company servicing the area, will increase their fees in March - and ORF still owes them thousands for the four months we've fallen behind in payments."
"We have to work non-stop to get even more non-payers on board, if we want to avoid losing the booms in a couple of months," says Levin.
The booms had tremendous support from the residents: on a poll on the suburb's website www.observatory.za.net, 137 people voted, with only 14 against the booms - a percentage of 90% are in favour.
The more than fifteen residents attending ORF's meeting to decide on the future of the booms, all pledged their support - and took a decision to search for a name for the enclosure.
"All enclosures are named, why not us," asked ORF's Rob Calmer.
Residents can send their suggestions for a name to
- and the winning entry will win a magnum bottle of wine.
To contribute monthly to the enclosure, please CLICK HERE
Posted 1 December 2005 by
Residents rally to rescue booms
More than 20 concerned residents met with the management of the Observatory Residents Forum this week to save the booms north of the golf course.
But the news was not good. "The ORF's enclosure is breaking even for the first time in many months because 17 new residents signed up the past month - but we ran up a debt of thousands of rands over the last four months and need a higher level of participation from the residents," says Mannie Levin, one of the driving forces behind the enclosure.
"If we can get just twenty more people paying the monthly levy of R240, we are home and dry. The booms can then stay."
Although 71% of the 350 households in the boomed-off area contribute, it is not enough, says Levin. "We have to reach a minimum of 80%. Keep in mind that some people can't afford the full monthly levy and only pay part of it."
But the residents have made a plan: the enclosure is being divided into smaller sections, with all residents present vowing to target non-paying households over the next two weeks to reach the golden figure of 20 new sign-ups.
"To increase the monthly fee for paying residents is not an option," says Klaas Meekel, one of the founder members of the enclosure. "It's a matter of principle. Yes, some of the non-paying residents are conscientious objectors, but they are far in the minority. There are still too many free loaders."
The residents and ORF will again meet on Tuesday, 29 November at the Levin house in 2 Da Gama Street to discuss the future of the booms.
Here is a breakdown of who pays what in which street. Streets with a precentage of lower than 70 will be targeted:
Street
Total Houses
Not paying
% Paying
Adam Tas
16
6
62.5
Adriana
1
0
100.0
Aida
1
1
0.0
Bessie
8
2
75.0
Da Gama
19
5
73.7
East
10
3
70.0
Eckstein
39
8
79.5
Elsa
18
6
66.7
Frederick
3
1
66.7
Golfview Heights
29
2
93.1
Innes/St Georges
1
1
0.0
Judith
6
1
83.3
Klip
63
17
73.0
Kloof
2
0
100.0
Louise
4
2
50.0
Mons
32
9
71.9
Palamar Place
1
0
100.0
Robertson
13
6
53.8
Steyn
1
0
100.0
St Georges
59
23
61.0
The Bend
2
1
50.0
TOTAL
328
94
71.3
Posted 10 November 2005.
Use your voice to keep the booms
A final decision about the booms north of the golf course will be taken at the Observatory Resident's Forum meeting this Tuesday, 8 November.
If you want the booms to stay, attend the meeting at 7.30pm at Dr Ivor Kaplan's house in 34 Klip Street.
"We still fall dismally short of our target and need more people to contribute," says Rob Calmer of the ORF, who manages the enclosure.
"We need the residents' input and volunteers to actively target non-payers. We last month fell over R4 000 short of our monthly target - and 8 new contributors are just not enough."
The support of the booms is vast: the poll on the web site shows over 90% in favour of the booms. And a recent ORF survey supports that figure.
"I don't think people realise exactly what it costs to run an enclosure as big as ours," Calmer says - and promptly quotes a figure of R42 050 per month. "We've had a short fall since January this year, but could carry the expenses until August due to surplus funds. This is now exhausted."
What is the R42 050 spent on each month? Outlawz's slice of the pie is nearly R38 500:
Guards(Booms)
7
2,500
17,500
Guards Armed(Car)
4
3,200
12,800
Radios
10
150
1,500
Car
1
6,678
6,678
Total
38,478
"Add to that an admin/maintanance fee of R2 500, plus toilet hire for the guards at R1 050 and you get the picture," says Calmer. "And believe me, we've shopped around: Outlawz is very reasonable at R42 500.
"We in September increased the standard rate from R220 to R240 and can’t ask the paying residents for yet another increase. The non-payers now have to join. Your R240 will make a difference"
To join ORF, click here. Either fax the debit order, or choose an electronic transfer to ORF's banking details on the application form
Residents can call the patrol car at 084-645-3292 and 084-645-3293.
Posted 2 November 2005 by
Booms to come down
The booms are coming down! The road closure north of the golf course – all entrances – will be opened end December – not because it’s illegal, but because of financial constraints.
Although 90% of the residents supported the decision to close off the area in a survey in 2003, the number of contributors is decreasing. “More than 70% of the residents used to support the closure, but it has now dropped to 65% - and is just not financially viable anymore,” says Rob Calmer, who together with the Levin family and Dr Ivor Kaplan, has been instrumental in running the enclosure since its inception.
“Why are we still doing it?” he asks.” The only feedback we are getting is complaints, never support.
“And despite numerous efforts to get more people on board, the current income is lower than the expenses. We just cannot sustain the enclosure any longer.”
Crime has dropped dramatically since the booms were erected and a dedicated patrol car with armed guards started patrolling the 350 households in the area: before the booms hijackings in Klip Street were a daily occurrence; a resident in St Georges Road lost her life in an armed hijacking – and gun shots were the order of the day.
An estate agent, Anni Cloete of Jawitz, also warned about losing the booms: “My clients want to buy in a boomed-off area - and let no-one tell you any different. They're fussy too: if your house is too close to the boom, they're not interested (too close to Yeoville/Cyrildene)
“The booms have made a tremendous difference to the crime rate in the area - and the property prices boomed with the booms. Should you lose your booms, your property prices will fall as quickly as those booms fall.”
“It’s do or die,” says Rob. “Some of the concerned residents will this Sunday, 15 October, stop cars at the various entrances to rally up financial support.
“If that does not help, the enclosure will end after nearly 4 years.”
Do you want to keep the booms? Join the Observatory Residents Forum and make your monthly contribution of R240 here
To see why the guards at the booms can’t stop cars – and what benefits you can reap with the enclosure, click here
