EQUESTRIAN LEGACY DOCUMENT
FOR ATTENTION; THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY OF THE KYALAMI AREA
Have you earned Provincial colours or won a championship?
Do you do something unique with horses?
Do you have a business that is dependent on the equine community?
Are you non competitive but just love riding in Kyalami?
We need YOU to be included in a LEGACY DOCUMENT about the equine community in Kyalami!
Many of us live in the Greater Kyalami area to enjoy an equestrian lifestyle, which is totally unique and cherished by ourselves.
Daily we read about the never ending threats of roads and development.
Right now we have a short window of opportunity to make a huge difference to what happens to this area going forward if we are prepared to stand together and make our voices heard
The City of Joburg and the Environmental Specialists who provide the studies for proposed development have no idea just how huge this community is or what we do, how we will be impacted and what we will lose. It’s time to tell them!
A few concerned residents have taken on the task of compiling an “equine legacy” document. This is to give YOU a voice to have your say on why this area is important to you as a rider or horse business. I want to tell the “human” story of how we, as residents, may lose our equine livelihoods, our homes and equine businesses if development continues at the current rate and especially if the area is carved up by roads. This will also impact on our employees many of whom are skilled grooms or assistants.
Please tell us your story. How long have you lived here? What special memories and dreams do you have? What have you, your family, livery clients or riding pupils achieved at a provincial or National level or what championships have you won? What would you do if this area was carved up for yet another development or more roads? How would your employees be affected?
If you have any photographs to go with your anecdotes, we would love to receive them.
We would be happy to interview you or you can send us the information by email. Please make sure you also include, your name, contact details, (phone and email) web address, (if you have one) how many staff you employ.
Please make time to respond by 18th September 2013! This will only take a couple of minutes!
Contact Margie 0824966214 mdonde@
Ps Many people say “why bother? Development is inevitable!” Well think about what you have to lose and where exactly can we go to where there is a density of horses such as we have here! Is this worth a few minutes of your time?
Realistically there are a number of reasons to have hope;
1. Malcolm Mackenzie has been fighting the roads for many, many years and has put proposals forward as to the most appropriate way forward i.e. to upgrade the surrounding roads and to put calming measures along Zinnia rather than develop the K56 and PWV 9. The City of Joburg – Impact Management and Compliance Section has now put their weight behind his proposal. He is also looking at whether we can legally have the roads deproclaimed
2. The City of Joburg Environmental Department recognises the Greater Kyalami Conservancy (GEKCO) and as such feels that development will impact the environment
3. Gecko is completing a biodiversity study – the good news is that half of all the bird species found in Gauteng are found in this area. That, along with the information on the other mammal species found in the area will be a great motivation to keep the roads out of the area (http://gekco.co.za/projects/)
4. The Residents associations are considering working together to create a Kyalami Green Neighbourhood Residents Association. This will be used to speak as a united front to CoJ so that they see us as one contiguous area. This could lead to a reduction in rates as we become recognised as the “green lung” for the city.
5. An Environmental Framework Document that suggests protecting the GEKCO area is worthwhile was gazetted in July 2013
IF WE DO NOTHING THE OUTCOME IS INEVITABLE – IF WE DO SOMETHING WE WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT RESULT