Dear Welgevonden Estate Homeowners and Residents
The intermittent sunny and warmer days following the severe weather we experienced over the past weeks offer a welcome opportunity to catch our breath again. Although the intense weather of July is behind us, it still impacts the upkeep of our properties on Welgevonden Estate. We'll delve into this topic later in this newsletter, but first, let's turn our attention to other important matters.
Progress – Welgevonden Park project
As previously reported, the site development plan and consent use application for the Welgevonden Park development were submitted to the Stellenbosch Municipality in March this year. We are regularly following up with the municipality and await their approval.
To avoid further delays, Excom, in the meantime, has appointed a project manager to oversee the Welgevonden Park project, and the professional team (including civil, structural and mechanical engineers, and a landscape architect) that will be handling various aspects of the development. One of the key tasks at this stage is to review the project’s costings and budget, which may include the addition of two padel courts.
Artist’s impression of the Welgevonden Park development
Artist’s impression of the Welgevonden Park development
The Welgevonden dam
For homeowners who live elsewhere and haven’t been to Welgevonden Estate recently, the water level in the Welgevonden dam increased significantly following the recent winter rains. Below are some photographs showing the current water level against the recent upgrades to the dam, and the soft landscaping that was completed afterwards.
Before the upgrade
After the upgrade
National Arbor Week, 1-7 September 2024
National Arbor Week is a time when South Africans of all ages are encouraged to celebrate the beauty and importance of trees. It is also an opportune time to become involved in planting indigenous trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management.
For 2024, the tree of the year in the rare tree category is the White Pear (Apodytes dimidiate), and in the common tree category, the Mountain Karee (Searsia leptodictya).
In celebration of Arbor Week 2024, we’ll be planting a Wild Plum as part of the soft landscaping scheduled for the large triangular parking area in Fynbos Street, near the corner of Gousblom Street. Additionally, several trees will be planted at the Welgevonden dam.
Residents are invited to join us for the tree planting ceremony in Fynbos Street. We’ll be announcing the date and time soon.
A refreshing early morning walk!
An improved residential estate app
Excom has decided to switch from the current GLOCMS app and software to My Estate Life for visitor management and general property administration at Welgevonden Estate. My Estate Life is a similar community management platform, but has enhanced features and benefits, including the following:
Seamless integration: Unlike GLOCMS which requires a separate database, My Estate Life integrates with the existing Welgevonden Home Owners’ Association database. This integration eliminates having to manage multiple databases, thereby saving time and being more efficient.
User-friendly interface: My Estate Life offers simpler user registration and general functionality, making it easier for residents to manage the app and provide visitor access to the estate.
Lower subscription fees: My Estate Life’s monthly subscription is lower than that of GLOCMS.
Local support: The app provides improved support through a dedicated team based in the Cape Winelands.
The transition to the new software and app will commence on 1 September 2024 and is expected to be completed by the end of October this year. During this period, residents will be required to download the My Estate Life app on their mobile devices and complete a straightforward registration process. After registration, the Welgevonden Estate office will review and approve each registration based on existing information in the database, which will enable full functionality of the app for each approved user. The changeover is expected to be effortless.
More information will be made available closer to the implementation date.
Stormwater during excessive rain
July 2024 brought exceptionally heavy rainfall to the Western Cape, including Stellenbosch, where over 300 mm of rain was recorded – significantly higher than the usual July average of 120 mm.
As the 2024 rain season draws to a close, homeowners should take this opportunity to inspect their properties for areas impacted by the recent stormwater. Implementing preventive measures now can help protect against future damage during severe weather. If needed, consult stormwater management specialists and appoint qualified contractors to address issues that will prevent potential flooding or damage in the long run.
It is important to keep in mind that, according to general legal principles, lower-lying properties are required to accept stormwater from higher-lying properties. However, owners of higher-lying properties must ensure that stormwater is properly channelled through designated systems and not allowed to flow uncontrolled onto lower-lying land.
Downpipes from rooftops should direct rainwater towards the street where it can enter the municipal stormwater drainage system through curb inlets. Rainwater should never be directed into the municipal sewer system, which is separate from the stormwater system and regulated by municipal guidelines. Misrouting rainwater into the sewer system can lead to serious issues, including sewer pipe overflows, sewage spills, and reduced capacity at wastewater treatment facilities, ultimately posing risks to human, animal, and environmental health.
Blanket drive for Huis Ebenhaeser, Cloetesville
We are pleased to announce that we have received nearly 100 blankets for Huis Ebenhaeser, which cares for more than 100 senior citizens. Thank you to Welgevonden Estate residents who donated blankets, and, especially, for the positive and caring spirit in which the donations were made.
The blankets were presented on 2 August during a visit by estate management and several Welgevonden Estate residents to Huis Ebenhaeser.
Those present when handing over the blankets at Huis Ebenaeser
Best regards
Gawie Marx
Estate Manager
6 August 2024
