Parkhurst
Post
March 2006
AGM: Tues 28 March 2006
The Parkhurst Village Residents Association
(PVRA) Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 28 March at the
Parkhurst Primary School, cnr 15th St and 3rd Ave at 6.30-7pm.
The guest speakers will be Parks resident Denis Beckett and Chief Superintendent
Moodley.
Snacks and drinks will be available and it will be a good way to meet
the residents who have been running the PVRA for the past year and vote
in the new committee.
Info: Greg Margolis on 082-459-0702 or info@parkhurst.org.za
The Parkhurst Post is delivered free of charge to over 2200 residences and businesses in the suburb. And it is time that we also started supporting the responsible and legal businesses that are located here - whether they are one of the shops or being run from a house.
The directory can be found near the rear
of each issue. We are purposefully keeping the costs low that even small
businesses can be represented. For only R100 you will get a small paragraph
insert in 3 issues of the Parkhurst Post.
The idea is to get the residents to support the businesses in the suburb
which will lead to the businesses feeling more connected with Parkhurst.
There has been a tendency in the past for the residents and businesses
to operate independently from each other and then only interact when there
is a problem.
To get a listing or place an advert in
the subsequent Parkhurst Posts, contact Tim on info@parkhurst.org.za
or phone the PVRA office on 880-1307.
Click here for the online Business
Directory.
Noisy Suburb
The letter sent out by the PVRA about combating the noise in Parkhurst has been a great success. Several persistent noise makers, once threatened with prosecution, stopped making a noise and so far it hasn't been necessary to prosecute anybody yet. If you have a noise problem issue, then contact Greg Margolis on 082-459-0702. Read the letter on the website.
Trash Collection Issues
Pikitup recently changed our trash collection
day from Tuesdays to Mondays. But they were woefully inadequate in letting
the residents know about it. They sent out one notice to the households
on the wettest weekend of the year (mine was flushed out into the street
and I only saw when I picked it up to throw it away); they didn't alert
the resident’s associations; and they placed a notice in the Rosebank
and Killarney Gazette which came out on Tuesday, the day after our bins
were due to be collected.
Despite their bungling, the word did manage to get out, and only 10% of
Parkhurst households got the day wrong. We did issue reminder notices
to those who missed the change and now pretty much all our residents and
businesses have managed the switch successfully.
Waste Paper Collection Day
At the beginning of the year, Mondi also
changed its paper collection day. They come every 2nd Wednesday and in
January they skipped a week so many of us were confused. Then there was
the public holiday on voting day which also meant no collection. So some
Mondi Ronnie bags have been outside for almost a month.
Here are the collection days for 2006: 29 March; 12 & 26 April; 10
& 24 May; 7 & 21 June; 5 & 19 July; 2, 16 & 30 August;
13 & 27 September; 11 & 25 October; 8 & 22 November; 6 December.
For more info visit their website on www.paperpickup.co.za
Uncle Bob's Spring Cleaning Service
The Men on the Side of the Road project
takes men off the side of the road, teaches them skills and tries to set
them up with proper employment. One of these projects is the Uncle Bob's
Spring Cleaning Service.
They have a Nissan 1400 bakkie and offer a service where they will spring
clean your garage/storeroom/back yard. They will take away whatever you
don't want. If something is useful and you don't want it (i.e. old kettles,
bikes, computer equipment, etc) they will repair and/or sell it, which
in turn, makes employment for some more men.
The cost is R250 per load the first time you use them which drops with
subsequent use. They give you a 10% discount voucher for the 2nd time
you want to use them (you can also give the voucher to a friend or neighbour).
They work from Mon-Sat.
To arrange a pick-up contact Devon or Raymond on 847-1216. For more info
visit www.unemploymen.co.za.
All Change for Councillors
We would like to thank the long standing and now ex-councillors Ed Jordan and Kim Lugli for all the hard work they did for the Parkhurst community. Ed Jordan has been replaced by Sharon Sabbagh (DA). Kim Lugli, who was a list councillor who crossed the floor to the DA still remains a Parkhurst resident and a member of the PVRA - she heads the Building and Bylaws Sub-Committee.
Electric Fences
Click, click, click. A new noise has arrived
in Parkhurst to match the noises of the birds, the dogs and neighbours.
But this noise is potentially bad for you. It is the sound of your electric
fence leaking its power into the wall or foliage.
Recently my electric fence stopped working completely and I called out
Robin Walters of RAS Systems. He and I had a chat about electric fences,
especially about what you can do to maintain and repair them yourself.
Warning: before working on or near the fence - TURN IT OFF first.
- When the alarm attached the fence goes off it means that the power has
been reduced somewhere on the fence. It could be a burglar, but more usually
it is a broken or slipped wire or something that has touched the fence.
- Clear all the foliage from the fence as branches and vegetation reduce
the power and can set off the alarm.
- Make sure the wires haven't slipped out of the plastic bobbins on the
fence posts.
- The usual cause of a clicking fence is a cracked bobbin on the round
bar fencing. The power is leaking from the system to the round metal bar
and hence reduces the voltage in the system. Locate the clicking bobbin,
turn off the power and remove the bobbin (tap it from below with a hammer).
New bobbins can be purchased from Regal Eltro in Roosevelt Park (tel 888-5666)
for under R1 each.
- Turn off your fence when cleaning the pool with a long handled brush
or net. If you touch the fence with the pole, you will get a very nasty
shock.
- Often the bottom wire on the fence is the earth wire - this means that
it isn't live and won't shock you. But not all bottom wires are the earth,
so be careful when painting or clearing away vegetation.
- The fence needs earth spikes every 25 m as this reduces the interference
on electrical appliances like the TV or radio (especially when listening
to Talk Radio 702). This is not a job for the home-owner.
- Other jobs that require a professional are: repair broken wires, replace
rusted springs and fence bars, replace or install the high tension cable
(the one with the black insulation), replace the wire in the fence, repair
or replace the energizer (the unit that provides the shock in the fence).
He also said that the braided wire is better than stainless steel single
strand as it is galvenised and has less resistance which means the voltage
remains higher. Braided stainless steel is the best, but it is also very
expensive.
You can link the fence to your household alarm and security company. The
energizer should be installed in the garage which should be kept locked
to make it more difficult to disarm. It should be out of the way as it
is dangerous if kids or pets touch it in the wrong place.
On newer models you can fit a key pad and on older ones you can use a
remote to control the energizer from inside the house so you don't have
to wander around outside just in case a burglar or prowler set it off.
More info: Robin Walters, RAS Systems, 673-3686 and 082-904-3606.
Kleen Bin
Kleen Bin was started in Cape Town in 1997
when they first got their 240 litre wheely bins. As we are starting to
find out, a year after it was introduced here, the bins are difficult
to clean properly (especially the inside), the lids and wheels fall off,
they facilitate the breeding of maggots and flies, and they usually smell.
Giving it a rinse out is not enough, and tipping the foul smelling sludge
into the road or the garden is not very hygienic.
Enter Kleen Bin from Cape Town who have an elegant solution to the maintenance
and cleaning of our bins. They have established a franchise in Joburg
and this is what they do:
- After the bins have been emptied
by Pikitup, they drive around the suburb and clean your bin;
- They use a mobile cleaning rig which catches all the grunge and water
from the cleaning. They get right inside the bin scraping and scrubbing
all the way to the bottom;
- They repair the lids and wheels;
- Best of all, they spray a fly repelling, clean smelling, disinfectant
all over and inside the bin;
- You just simply wheel the clean smelling bin back inside when you get
home from work like you used to do. No cleaning the bin in the dark (or
leaving it to fester til the next day) and even gardeners like the idea
as they also hate cleaning out the bin. And you don't have foul smelling
toxic sludge lying around in your back yard waiting for you, the kids
and the pets to track inside the house.
It costs R54.72 (incl) a month which works
out at R12.63 a week over the year - the price of a café latte
or a Weekly Mail and Guardian. If you have a second bin they will clean
it for R11.40/ week. And if you only want it cleaned every 2nd week, that
is no problem. Kleen Bin will also donate R1 a bin a month to the Parkhurst
Village Residents Association for all Parkhurst bins.
Give them a call on 0860-177-177 to arrange a free bin cleaning and for
more info. You can also visit their website on www.kleenbin.co.za.
Dial-A-Nerd
One of the most useful resources and a good example of a socially aware company in our suburb is Dial-A-Nerd. It is really great having a reliable PC repair and computer supply company on our doorstep. They have been supportive of the Parkhurst community and their latest donation of a computer to help with the running of the PVRA is a good example of their involvement. I e-mailed some questions to Colin Thornton, their founder:
PP: I heard that you started out helping
friends and family.
Colin: I started the company on my own, but with help from my friend Stuart
Cullender who now teaches maths at Wits. We worked from my parents' garage
and my first clients were friends and family.
PP: When did you move to Parkhurst?
Colin: We moved to the corner of 6th Street and 3rd Avenue in 2002 from
Greenside. It was the best marketing move I could have made as the exposure
on that corner is great and Parkhurst is full of home offices and therefore
PC's.
PP: Why Parkhurst?
Colin: I loved the atmosphere of 4th Avenue and the mix of businesses
on 6th Street.
PP: Are you happy here?
Colin: We have run out of space but I am completely against moving out
of the area. It's a great suburb with tons of potential. We have expanded
into the house on the opposite corner which houses our new sister company,
Network Nerds.
PP: Is there anything you would like to change improve in the suburb?
Colin: More control over ugly (and environmentally damaging) construction
sites!
PP: Do you get much business from the residents and businesses here?
Colin: There are a phenomenal number of little businesses in Parkhurst
and we service a large number of them.
PP: I use you guys in the following manner - if I can't fix a problem
for myself or friend - I recommend you guys as you are on our doorstep
and it is easy to get the products to you. You guys are our local neighbourhood
computer nerds.
Colin: We've always tried to provide an affordable and efficient one-stop
solution to home and small business PC users and we enjoy being the 'neighbourhood
nerds'. Our fleet of mobile technicians which travel directly to clients
and our well-equipped workshop ensure that any computer problem can be
solved with minimal fuss. Not a lot of people know that we also sell custom-built
PC's and spares, but this is becoming a large part of our business as
people prefer dealing with someone who understands their needs (versus
a salesman at a retail store).
PP: But you also do the other stuff
like networking etc for the more advanced needs.
Colin: As Dial-A-Nerd customers have grown, so too have their computing
requirements and to meet this demand, a new division called Network Nerds
was created. Network Nerds provides ultra-fast response times and ongoing
maintenance contracts which provide peace of mind for larger customers
who can't afford down-time. Network Nerds also operates out of Parkhurst
(across the road from Dial-A-Nerd) and has a team of highly qualified
technicians who specialise in Linux and Windows servers, advanced networks
and security.
For more info contact Dial-A-Nerd on 0861-4-NERDS (0861-4-63737) or info@dialanerd.co.za and by visiting www.dialanerd.co.za.
Bridge Report Back
In the November 05 issue I wrote about
the bridges in the suburb. Regarding the imminent washing away of the
Telkom bridge near 17th Street. I have been told that a works order has
been placed in the pipeline to repair the foundations - it will cost around
1 million rand.
The other bridge I wrote about has yet to be built. It will be at the
bottom of 12th Street and R1.8 million has been set aside to construct
it. The money has to be used by June and it is hoped it will be built
by then. There was only one objection to the bridge, but it was withdrawn.
Lets hope that there will be no more drownings from here on in.
Letters
Verify References & Do Some
Basic Checks
I have personally been involved in a case, in which a “painter/builder”
told a Parkhurst resident that they “did all the work for Nan Roberts
Estates or Michael Capela and that she must not worry.” Please be
warned, this is not true and all references must be checked personally
to avoid costly mistakes.
When employing staff or contractors like a builder or painter, first make
some enquiries like the following: (1) get a copy of their ID book; (2)
get a contact number and their known address; (3) find out if they are
a member of the relevant trade body or association; (4) contact Parkview
police 486-5000 to check for any criminal record.
You are welcome to call me personally (788-1068) to verify any contractor
using our name as a reference.
Michael
Capella, Nan Roberts Estates & Parkhurst Resident
Trash Issues
I have just read your latest Parkhurst
Post. I don't like the idea of suggesting to people they stick their extra
rubbish in the neighbour's bin. They should take care of their own rubbish.
I never have more than one bag per week because I recycle, but I object
to mine being overloaded and often smelly with other people's rubbish
when I regularly keep my bin clean. And it's not to my liking if Pikitup
are on strike and we have to move the full bins back inside our property.
The Pikitup personnel also 'kindly' load bags left by the roadside into
mine as well which they should be told not to do. Also they throw the
empty bins all over the pavement and roadside sometimes making it impossible
to park one's car until the bins are removed.
Everyone should make sure the bins can close properly or order a second
bin. Overseas visitors would have a fit if they saw the state of Parkhurst
on rubbish collection day. It is absolutely forbidden in the U.K. to put
out a bin without the lid closed properly.
Jo Meintjes, Parkhurst Resident
PP Comments: I personally don't mind my neighbour's using the empty space in my bin (I too recycle) as I would rather have all the trash in my street collected. I also use Kleen Bin to clean, sanitize and repair my bin every week - at R13 a week it is a good deal. BUT, I do think it is a cheek if the neighbours always have extra trash (it costs around R35/month for a 2nd bin). AND, I do agree that if there is a strike or a change in collection day, then the neighbour should take out their rubbish from your bin.
Library
The Parkhurst Library now has a over 200
DVDs which you can hire for R15/week and quite a few videos for R5/week.
The DVDs are pretty up to date and they are regularly adding new titles.
The library also has an English literacy class every Thursday at 5pm;
a scrabble club which meets at 11am on Mondays (R5/game incl refreshments);
story time for 3 years upwards at 3.30pm on Wednesday.
Oh, and they also have books that you can borrow. It costs R30 PA/adult
to join (kids free) and you need an ID/passport, proof of address. You
can also become a friend of the library for R35/adult and R50/family PA.
Info: 788-4510, Open Mon/Tue/Thu 9am-5pm, Wed 1-5pm, Fri/Sat 9am-1pm.
Braeside Meat Market
There is a rumour going around that the
Braeside Meat Market are closing down. I spoke to the owner and she assured
me that this is NOT true. They are very much alive and kicking and are
intent on staying in Parkhurst.
They have recently redecorated the shop and added display fridges for
their new range of home made sausages and processed meats. And don’t
forget they specialise in veal and make the best biltong in Joburg.
Info: Tel: 788-3613, cnr 4th Ave & 10th St.
WiFi Hotspot
The Mugg & Bean in 4th Ave is a WiFi
hotspot. For those who don’t know what this means - the Mugg &
Bean is a place where your laptop computer can be connected to the Internet
without plugging in any wires. WiFi is short for “Wireless Fidelity”
and is a way of transmitting information without using cables.
Most laptops nowadays come with a special device that allows it to find
and use a wireless system. That is why you often see people sitting there
typing away at a laptop while sipping their coffee.
They get 10 minutes free access a day, after which they buy blocks of
time using their credit cards via this wireless connection and their laptops.
MWEB subscribers get free access. The same system is in use at the airports,
other restaurants and hotels throughout South Africa.
So now you know - coffee will never be the same again in 4th Avenue.
Info: Tel: 788-7111, cnr 4th Ave & 13th St, Parkhurst.
Contact the Editor
Tim Truluck
072-238-2790, 011-442-5201
info@parkhurst.org.za
