May 2023
In the February 2023 Pr ingle Messenger, it was announced that the Pringle Bay Ratepayers’ Association (PBRA) had initiated a project to develop a Conceptual Development Framework (now called Strategic Framework) for the future development of Pringle Bay Village (PB). The PBRA elected to be supported in the development process by professional service providers whilst also consulting with the community in an inclusive manner, to build consensus around the eventual selected Strategic Framework.
Although the heritage of PB goes back millennia, the centenary of the formal declaration of PB as a settlement will occur around the year 2040. This 2040 year has been selected as a useful date to use as a focal point for the strategy. We therefore changed the name of the project to “Pringle Bay Village Strategic Framework:2040”. By focusing on 2040 we are forced to lift our heads and look at what lies beyond today and tomorrow. We need to determine what would be good for PB, not only for this generation, the current residents and property owners, but also for generations to come.
We are pleased to report that the project has formally commenced. The partnership consisting of Urban IQ, VISI Africa Strategic Planners and Liana Jansen Landscape Architect & Heritage Practitioner was appointed in April, after having been independently evaluated as the best of three proposals received. They have commenced their work with a planned completion date of end of July 2023. The focus in this process is on factual matters, best practice solutions, creativity, and potential ways forward – to enable the community to deal with the opportunities and the challenges that may occur as the future unfolds. The output will be a Pringle Bay Village Strategic Framework:2040 discussion document. The project itself will continue well into the third and fourth quarters, with time being given for more consultation and further refinement of the Strategy to build a consensus view before the end of the year.
The total project is being steered by a Steering Committee (SC) under the leadership of the PBRA. The SC, comprising PBRA and other community members, not only guides the service providers in their work, but also ensures that the PB community is heard in the process. The SC, which has already met twice to date, will also drive the formal public participation process once the initial work has been completed. This process could run until the end of the year to give ample time for input.
The primary objectives of the development of the PBVSF:2040 are:
The current focus of the work is on getting to grips with the current realities of PB. The scope is wide – ranging from the PB heritage to the current state of infrastructure and the number of plots open for development. This base will start to give a clear direction for what needs to drive the longer-term vision for PB. This phase of the work should be completed before the end of June. The following phases entail more attention to the Vision, the plan to realize the Vision, and the story of PB from Vision to the future.
Regular updates and interesting information emanating from the study will continue to be published in the Messenger and elsewhere for comment and participation at the time.
Residents and business and property owners are encouraged to participate in this process of developing the PB Strategic Framework:2040. You may contribute in a variety of ways, but essentially, we would like to solicit your views as we progress through the steps.
Starting today, we invite you to comment on the objectives of the project and the process in general, as outlined in this communication.
Contact us by sending an e-mail to chairman@pringlebayratepayers.co.za stating your ERF number and contact details, your interest in the project and your view in brief. We will then follow up as appropriate.
Should you wish to get access to more than the regular communications (reports and other data from the project), or should you wish to offer your assistance on the project, kindly include that in your mail and we will be in touch.
The PB Village Strategic Development Framework initiative is important. Our guiding approach is to take on board the views and aspirations of the Pringle Bay community – to provide an answer to the question of where we would like to see PB in 2040. Please participate!
At time of writing, our village has completed 31 consecutive weeks with no incidents of crime reported (burglaries/house invasions/robberies). This is a new record since the establishment of the Pringle Bay Street Watch (PBSW) in 2017 when the official recording of crime data for our village commenced, resulting in the statistics which we have today.
The previous record was 19 weeks in 2022, and barring one incident between then and now, the record would have been 50 weeks. This achievement is something to be proud of ,and we attribute this outstanding result to the combined efforts of the PBSW patrollers, the vigilance of our residents (members and non-members) who act as “eyes and ears” on the ground, and finally, our home-owners who are careful about safeguarding their homes.
We are blessed to be one of a handful of villages countrywide which can claim these remarkable crime stats. That said, we need to maintain our vigilance and remain true to our motto of “being there for one another” … your eyes & ears are watching out for me and vice versa. Thank you to everyone who plays a part in keeping our village crime free and a safe place to live.
In our April 2023 Pringle Messenger we let you know that we’re planning a facelift for the Fire Station and the Community Hall.
We’re very happy to report that the job is done and we think that it is a massive improvement. For those of you who regularly attend classes in the hall, we trust that you’re appreciating driving up to this, now, immaculate looking building!
A very big Thank You goes to Tony Helmbold and his team from TH Painters for delivering a quality job, and for always going that extra mile. The team carried out some additional touch ups for which there was no charge. We appreciate your professionalism and support!
What next? We plan to tackle the Security Hut and the wall at the entrance to Pringle and refresh those structures to match the Hall and Fire Station. Currently, that area looks shabby with walls, fascia boards and camera poles needing work.
We look forward to those improvements in the near future!
In our March 2023 Pringle Messenger, we shared that Overstrand Municipality (OM) was inviting property owners who did not want the municipality to clear their verges (but would take on that task themselves) to submit their details.
We offered to collate that information on behalf of residents and pass it on to OM. We’ve received a number of requests, thank you, we have now closed off this invitation and we are forwarding what we’ve received to the appropriate officials. In case of issues, please contact OM directly.
Please bear in mind that if vegetation poses a safety risk, e.g., obstructing the traffic sight line, OM may still have to cut back any overgrowth.
We remind all ratepayers that the annual increase in municipal rates and tariffs take effect with the July 2023 accounts, which are payable by August 20th 2023. OM has requested account holders to first check whether a change in their account is due to the annual increase before making enquiries.
OM communicated that property owners who objected to their new valuations will receive a response and outcome to their objection by 19th June 2023.
In total 1890 objections were received and these have been handed over to the valuator for processing. Owners who are unhappy with the decision of the valuator have 30 days to lodge an appeal, which will be heard by an independent Valuation Appeals Board appointed by the Provincial Minister of Local Government.
Appeal forms are available on the Municipal website: Appeal Forms
In implementing the approved Management Plan for the Pringle Bay Beach and Adjacent Dune Area, Pringle Bay volunteers have since April 2022 devoted time and energy to work towards the preservation of the Pringle Bay Beach and adjacent dunes.
By stacking branches of alien Rooikrans vegetation that had been cut down in the area by the Pringle Bay Hackers, a massive new foredune has been created behind the highwater line of the main beach.
Branches act to trap the sand that otherwise would have been blown inland towards the Pringle Bay infrastructure and built-up area where it would have been lost, with the resultant depletion of beach sand volume.
Over several months, a new foredune of about 300m long, 6m high and 40m wide has been created to act as barrier for the loss of beach sand being blown inland.
New foredune with lifeguards’ hut in the background
At the onset of the winter rainy season of 2023, the management of the Pringle Bay beach and dunes entered a new phase, to ensure that the newly created foredune becomes vegetated in order to prevent the accumulated sand from being blown away again.
On Saturday 13 May, the Beach Rescue volunteers completed the first mass planting of over 500 cuttings of the Klappiesbrak ground cover (Tetragonia decumbens – known as Dune Spinach, or Sea Spinach).
Klappiesbrak
Klappiesbrak cuttings sprouting on the foredune 2 weeks after planting.
Several successive mass planting sessions of Klappiesbrak will take place during the winter, together with extending the new foredune towards the Anne Road beach entrance.
In order to be successful in this program of massive work over the long-term, a sustained workforce of volunteers is needed, far beyond the relatively small group of volunteers currently committed to the program. We therefore need to expand our capacity and a request is made to Pringle Bay residents to avail their time and energy by joining the Beach Rescue Team of volunteers.
Beach Rescue work is scheduled for every 2nd Saturday of each month from 09:30 until 11:30, getting together at the William Road parking area. Work broadly entails the dragging and placement of branches, seasonal planting of vegetation and the maintenance of our footpaths’ rope fencing.
Residents are advised to join the Pringle Bay Beach Rescue WhatsApp Group in order to get notifications of planned activities and the sharing of relevant information. Contact Carel Laubscher at 079 524 4334.
On behalf of the Pringle Bay residents and visitors, we must thank the current team of volunteers which has consistently worked very hard over the past year to preserve our beloved Pringle Bay!
Position of new foredune behind high tide line.
(Photos: Carel Laubscher)
Nicola Lloyd let us know that Pam Golding Properties Whale Coast will be supporting Blood Donor Month to promote awareness and to encourage donor participation from Pringle, Rooi Els and Betty’s Bay residents.
The Western Cape Blood Service will be on site on June 12th to receive blood donations, also in attendance will be the Organ Donor Foundation who hope to sign up organ donors, representatives of our Pringle Emergency Medics team will join, and there will potentially be a presence from ER24.
Pringle Bay United Church
12th June 2023
10h00 – 14h00
Eats will be served after people have donated blood, and spot prizes will be handed out during the morning.
We hope that as many residents as possible will support this great initiative and the services which we all benefit from.
Take a look at this fantastic video created by Eric Miller to showcase the work being done by the Pringle Bay Beach Rescue Team.
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