Yes.........point taken Brian. I have now joined the OCA.
On Dec 9, 1:55 pm, Brian Amery <[email protected]> wrote: > There are more than 2000 residences in Obs. It has been alleged (but > never tested) that 25% of these are rented. But let’s suggest that 50% > are owned by “absentee” landlords – the implication being that they > couldn’t give a damn about Obs – that only leaves 1000 caring > residents. > Early this year the OCA had a normal committee meeting at which we had > to decide whether or not to go ahead with this year’s festival. We > voted and the outcome was a tie. In the circumstances we did not feel > that we really had the authority to cancel the festival so I withdrew > my objection and the vote was that the festival should proceed. > There were four people at the meeting. > They say that we get the government we deserve. It sure does apply to > Obs. > Brian > > On Dec 9, 1:00 pm, Miss Marple <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I'm not a killjoy either. I underscore everything you say Chris, and > > would add: > > > Two days of noise / public drunkenness / urinating in the streets / > > discarded bottles and smashed glass all over the place / and crassness > > to residents who are brave enough to ask revellers not to sit on their > > cars or place bottles/tins on them...... (I've been picking up stuff > > in Robins and a part of Bishop). > > > On Dec 8, 10:20 pm, "Kris Marais" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Brian Gray informed me, a newcomer to Obs in 2003, that the Festival was > > > designed to raise money for the Community. > > > This has apparently not happened to date. > > > I am not a supporter of the Obs Festival. And i am not a prude or a > > > killjoy. > > > I suggest we call it what it is. Two days of Noise and Public drunkenness. > > > It benefits a few businesses, who with one exception are not community > > > minded. Four of these are 'not esteemed' according to messages I have seen > > > posted on the Obnw list, in fact we have completed affidavits to deny two > > > of > > > them official liquor licenses. > > > To me the Obs festival does not promote or benefit our community in any > > > appropriate way that is apparent to me. > > > There are several venues in and around Cape Town which are infinitely more > > > adequate than our common or tiny parks to host large crowds for outdoor > > > music events.(I attended the Cokefest at Kenilworth racecourse earlier > > > this > > > year; a superior venue which can handle a large crowd is an example) > > > Kris Marais > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > > > > Guy > > > Sent: 08 December 2008 03:55 PM > > > To: The Observatory Neighbourhood watch > > > Subject: [obsnw] Re: HOW DOES OBSERVATORY BENEFIT?....and four people > > > urinating at 4.47 a.m. in Robins Rd - Sunday, 7 Dec 2008 > > > > At last year's fest a man reversed out of Bowden Road into myself and > > > a friend walking by (my friend had a recent spine op and I was nursing > > > a broken collarbone) and when I banged my hand on his window to stop > > > him, he lept out and threatened to attack me and used racial slurs > > > against us. We were protected by the security of the Thai restaurant > > > and bystanders. > > > > This year I had higher hopes but the first think I saw as I arrived on > > > Lower Main at 9pm on Saturday was large bald black man pursuing and > > > then beating up a thin coloured man on the pavement outside the record > > > shop. The coloured man was on the floor wailing for him to stop and > > > got up and tried to run away. When he got a few meters away his > > > assailant went after him again with a gun in his hand but he lost > > > interest and sauntered back towards the fest casually tucking his gun > > > into his waistband. He didn't give a hoot who saw him and the 100 or > > > so people also in Lower Main didn't bat an eyelid either. Nobody was > > > even looking during the fight, nor took any heed of the man's weapon. > > > I gingerly tried to follow him looking for a policeman to point him > > > out to but I was anxious to avoid being spotted. For several minutes I > > > couldn't see a single custodian of any kind and then he was lost in > > > the throng. > > > > In general I found the crowds to be very drunk and volatile and as a > > > result the atmosphere was intimidating. Walking or even standing > > > anywhere without getting bashed into or stepped on was very > > > difficult. In the end the best policy seemed to be to get away. > > > Darien Lane, of course, is a public toilet at all times but I also saw > > > someone urinating in a shop front in Lower Main. > > > > The situation is actually quite easy to understand if you consider it > > > in the same light as similar gatherings. It is just like an outdoor > > > festival such as a rock concert where there thousands of drunk young > > > people, they leave litter, they fight, they urinate and have to be > > > managed. This is understood and expected of rock concerts and > > > festivals so specific measures and controls are considered normal. > > > E.g.,: > > > - charged entry; > > > - no alcohol brought in; > > > - provided toilet facilities; > > > - lots of big bouncers with attitude and radios; > > > - controlled entry and exit points searching of people for drugs and > > > weapons; > > > - police presence (road blocks) for embarkation to check for drunk > > > drivers. > > > > Many of these measures are completely at odds with what is intended to > > > be family and community-friendly street festival however after dark > > > Obsfest is neither of those things. > > > > If we expect it to be any different something needs to change - the > > > policy towards control and policing or the venue. > > > > On Dec 8, 2:04 pm, Darth Brink <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > We've had enough. I love Obz, love the (usual) vibe, but after this > > > > weekend I have had enough. I agree with Jo-Anne - where is the > > > > carnival we used to love? > > > > > Few notes to consider for future fests: > > > > > 1. One entry point (where a small entry fee is charged), and one exit > > > > point. > > > > 2. Security personnel to ensure none of the revelers enter the > > > > streets outside the festival area, unless they can produce a residents > > > > permit, or are accompanied by a resident with a valid permit. > > > > 3. Parking in a few designated areas, and visitors being shuttled > > > > back and forth (from the entry point and exit point). This would be > > > > covered by the entry fee that is charged. > > > > 4, Enforced Closing Times. Not only music, revelers must LEAVE!!! > > > > > This might seem a bit hectic, but I cannot see our neighberhood > > > > surviving another fest. Our street is filthy, broken bottles and > > > > human waste everywhere... Cars scratched from drunks falling against > > > > it (or on purpose when we asked them to tone it down)... and because > > > > it is not in the festival area, we have to clean it ourselves. > > > > > Our neighbour across the street was home alone with her 1 year old > > > > toddler the weekend, neither of them slept. Once she braved going > > > > outside to try and get a Corsa bakkie who was parked in front of her > > > > house to turn their music volume down. She was told to get her hands > > > > off their car, and was threatened by the dancing passengers on the > > > > back. Scared, she retreated inside, but only after asking one of the > > > > parking marshals from Lower Main to assist. His rude and unhelpful > > > > reply: "We're working on it - stop interfering". > > > > > I know these are isolated incidents, and the festival only happens > > > > once a year... I want to know, is it really worth it? > > > > > And as this thread is headed, How does Observatory benefit??? > > > > > We surely don't. > > > > __________ NOD32 2960 (20080319) Information __________ > > > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus > > > system.http://www.eset.com-Hidequoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
