ECID reaches out for assistance
“At the moment ECID has to prioritise on basic maintenance and the safety of the community and businesses in the footprint.”
Edenvale City Improvement District (ECID) encouraged business owners along Van Riebeeck Avenue to get involved in the organisation.
ECID, a non-profit company (NPC), focuses on returning the CBD to a safe, clean, green and viable business destination for the community.
It tries to work with the City of Ekurhuleni, conducts basic maintenance and the upliftment of the area within its footprint.
However, since last October the NPC has been a voluntary organisation.
ECID director Johnny Dagostino said the choice to become voluntary stemmed from the introduction of Special Rate Areas (SRA’s) in the City of Johannesburg.
“In Ekurhuleni the SRA’s are still in draft form and need to go out for public comment,” said Dagostino.
In a meeting with CoE last year ECID’s management was given the option to either shut down the CID and restart it once the SRA’s are implemented or to operate as a voluntary organisation until the SRA’s are implemented.
Before becoming a voluntary organisation ECID received funding from the City of Ekurhuleni, but after deciding to be fully voluntary the funding stopped.
Dagostino said the lack of funding from CoE created some financial challenges and forced the NPC to re-look how it spends its funds.
Unfortunately, because of the challenges, the NPC will not be hosting the annual festival of lights this year.
“At the moment ECID has to prioritise on basic maintenance and the safety of the community and businesses in the footprint.”
He said once the NPC’s standing improves it will shift its focus to the uplifting of the CBD and host entertainment events.
In addition to the shift to a voluntary organisation ECID is looking at changing its footprint.
Currently, the footprint stretches from Horwood Street to Seventh Street and covers Seventh Avenue to Voortrekker Avenue.
Dagostino said the proposed area for the new footprint is Van Riebeeck Avenue from Horwood Street to the Terrace Road split and one or two streets on either side.
Dagostino appealed to businesses and the community to support ECID so the NPC can continue caring for and improving the CBD.
Contact info@edenvalecid.co.za or call 011 45 5964 for more information or to join ECID.
