Ward 63 councillor Mikhail Manuel has completed the community planning sessions for the Claremont/Newlands Heritage Walk project. This initiative marks a key step in preserving and celebrating the area’s rich history.
The project will install permanent information boards across Claremont and Newlands. After four collaborative sessions with residents and stakeholders, the six-week consultation phase has successfully concluded.
Community involvement shapes the project
“This morning, we completed the last of three site visits to identify possible locations for the Claremont/Newlands Heritage Walk information boards. It has been an interesting six-week process,” Manuel said on social media.
The initiative began with the Newlands Claremont Heritage Environmental Justice and Restitution Society (NCHERJS), which held its first Heritage Walk in 2022. Consequently, the success of these walks inspired the current project to establish a permanent heritage trail.
Key historical sites identified
Planning sessions also included visits to important locations such as
- St Saviours Church
- Claremont Train Station
- Claremont Main Road Masjid
- Dreyer Street Market
- Grove Primary School
- Bishoplea Park
“These sessions help us select the most suitable locations for permanent information boards about Claremont and Newlands’ history,” Manuel explained. Furthermore, residents, both past and present, contributed alongside representatives from Nurtures and the Claremont CID.
Reflecting on heritage
Manuel reflected: “I love South Africa with all of its complexities. We must remember both the good and the bad, that which brought us pain and that which brings us joy. It is our heritage. This positive, lively engagement warmed my heart and left me with a sense of promise for our future.”
Next steps for the heritage walk
With site identification complete, the project now moves to professional heritage research. A heritage specialist will carry out deeper research and collate community inputs to begin curating the information boards.
“Now we hand over to a heritage professional to conduct further research and compile inputs for curating the boards,” Manuel confirmed.
Next year, the project will expand public participation to ensure broader community input before final installation.
Ultimately, the Claremont/Newlands Heritage Walk aims to foster community cohesion and create lasting educational resources for Cape Town.
