Parklets are adding to the character of the Cape Town CBD – and changing the way pedestrians and restaurant patrons use urban space.
Usually characterised by greenery, seating, and in some cases bike racks, parklets are a sidewalk extension meant for recreation. Designed to increase the physical space of businesses and how patrons interact with it, parklets are also known as “street seats” and stem from partnerships between the city and local businesses.
In Cape Town, they first popped up in 2012 when the City of Cape Town did a pilot project. Five parklets were installed for 10 days in Harrington and Bree streets, the City Bowl and Camps Bay. Findings from the exercise were included in the City of Cape Town’s guidelines on parklets.
THE VALUE OF PARKLETS
Kirsten Wilkins, urban designer and Open Streets Cape Town MD, says parklets “bring change to inner-city environments by converting car space to people space, and open the conversation of how important this shift would be at scale”. “The creation of parklets and positive public spaces have huge benefits not only to businesses but to building confidence in a neighbourhood,” she says.
In the Cape Town CBD, venues with parklets include Clarke’s Bar & Dining Room and Café Frank, both in Bree Street, and La Matta in Long Street. Ten to 15 more parklets are on the cards in Long Street thanks to the Upper Long Inner City Rejuvenation Project, and Stellski Coffee Bar in Loop Street is in the process of erecting a 10-seater parklet as well.
Clarke's Bar & Dining Room has led the way, erecting its parklet in 2012. Owner Lyndall Maunder got the idea in San Francisco in 2012 and found it to be “a great way to use space”. “Everyone enjoys being outside and there is the added energy that comes from people being on the street.” The popular venue's parklet has a pergola section and a bike rack to cater for cyclists.
The parklet at Clarke's Bar & Dining Room in Bree Street.
INNER-CITY GREEN SPACE
For other CBD business owners, it’s been a win-win situation. Café Frank owner Debbie Wynne says parklets provide an inner-city green space for rest and recreation. “They create a barrier between patrons and the traffic thus improving the experience and enjoyment of an establishment. They also add to the charm of a city.”
Café Frank’s roomy parklet has a Spekboom planter, recycling bins, a bike rack, and infrared heaters and blankets on cold days.
Giancarlo Bruno, Long Street Association chairperson and owner of La Matta, says parklets make the city much friendlier and allow for a well-maintained streetscape that adds value. “They allow people to interact with the city in a secure environment and view the passing trade,” he explains.
Megan Kritzinger, the owner of Stellski Coffee Bar, agrees. “Parklets bring a bit of serenity to our concrete jungle. All great cities have lekker (lovely) pavement seating for coffee bars and restaurants where worker bees can relax and reflect on life over a cup of coffee or cocktail.”
ARE PARKLETS THE ANSWER?
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that before the Covid-19 pandemic, San Fransisco had 56 parklets in and around the city. However, they have since mushroomed, with 1 250 new parklets having been installed since July last year.
This rings true for Wynne, who had Café Frank's parklet installed in 2020. “It helped to save my business as it became a major attraction for many people wanting to get out again without putting their health at risk. Visually, it also increased trade as we are now so much more noticeable.”
Kritzinger says the success of parklets in San Fransisco is inspiring, “and I have no doubt Cape Town is ready for this”. “Local business in the CBD have been hit hard by the pandemic and parklets are a great way to increase foot traffic into the city,” she says.
Wynne believes that with the pandemic changing how we work, live and play, cities will need to adapt and parklets are one way they can improve the downtown offering and help businesses bounce back. “This will include improving cycle and pedestrian lanes, increasing green spaces and becoming safer during the day and night,” she says.
Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) CEO Tasso Evangelinos believes parklets are a great addition to Cape Town's Central City. “The CCID supports any initiative that boosts trade, brings people onto our streets, creates street life, and promotes pedestrianisation.”
Café Frank's parklet has increased trade at the Bree Street establishment.
TRANSFORMING STREET LIFE
While parklets have benefits, says Kirsten Wilkins, their erection should be systematic and not create exclusivity. For this reason she advocates for a permanent street transformation approach “beyond wrestling for a parking space”. She explains: “I don’t think that more parklets are beneficial beyond their role in advocacy for a shift to people-centred space. The next step is more permanent street transformation, and we must not lose sight of this end goal”.
In Wilkins’ words: “To live and move in a city that is testing and experimenting and engaging in future change is very important.” It is encouraging to see the Cape Town CBD adopting this approach.
Note: To apply for a parklet, view the City of Cape Town’s Parklet Guidelines here.
IMAGES: Cafe Frank, CCID