New development brings mixed feelings from elderly residents

A new shopping complex – still under construction (and the widened roads that came with it) have inspired mixed feelings from the elderly residents on the doorstep of the development in the Eastern Cape city's suburb of Walmer.

Some welcome the convenience of the new shops and say the new wall and electric fencing built to separate them from the new development has added an element of security. Others have found the dust, noise and concrete jungle just too much to bear.

Crossing the widened Walmer Main Road – which has seen an increase of taxis ferrying workers to and from the development – has also proved a challenge.

The 25 000m² development Moffett on Main will house a lifestyle centre, including shops like Blue Line Checkers, Mr Price Home, Mr Price Sport, @ Home Livingspace and a Planet Fitness gym.

Laubscher Park West resident Heather Hutchings said: “There was so much dust in the beginning, I could‘ve grown potatoes on my windowsill. I had quite a large liver tree in my garden, which was literally sand-blasted to death, and we are still getting a lot of dust.”

Hutchings said the widening of Main Road had also made it difficult to cross over to Walmer Park. “I don‘t walk across, I take my car – the road has become an obstacle course.”

She said the large wall built to separate the village from the complex did not offer much protection from the wind.

“Buildings don‘t stop wind. It goes over the top and comes down in a vortex. We used to be well-protected.”

Another resident, Pam Pote, did not think another shopping complex was necessary in Port Elizabeth. “I don‘t think we need the vast number of shops coming up. When my husband and I first came to live here, it was so lovely and quiet – now it‘s too developed.”

Resident Esme Busse was more positive, saying the dust situation had “definitely improved now that the pavement is finished”.

“We are looking forward to the buildings being completed. Then we can just walk around the corner, rather than crossing the road (to Walmer Park).”

Despite the pedestrian crossing, Busse said walking over the road, especially with the added lane, was a challenge. “The cars don‘t always stop, especially during peak hour.”

Moth Cottages resident Aloma Corney has developed asthma from all the cement dust and says the development has brought with it an increase of taxis, which were wreaking havoc on the roads by making illegal U-turns.

Another resident Rhoda Bibb had “mixed feelings” about the development. “It‘s been plonked right in the middle of senior citizens‘ residences – and it has caused a disturbance.

"Supermarkets are great, but they bring with them a certain amount of noise and disruption.”

Article via I-Net-Bridge