The Stables Craft and Culture Centre
The Stables Craft and Culture Centre is a development, job creation and income-generating
project situated on Prince George Drive, which is a major route leading
to popular tourist attractions along the False Bay Coast and Cape Point. The
property is also situated on the western boundary of the Rondevlei Nature
Reserve and the proposed False Bay Coastal Park.
The Stables name is derived from the rich historical value of the buildings,
being originally used as stables on a farm.
The objectives of the Centre are:
- To develop a craft and culture centre that offers skills training
to the unemployed and disadvantaged in our communities.
- To provide space to local community members for trade in locally made
crafts.
- To operate a tea room, linked to the existing Cafda Baking Project.
- To attract local and national visitors and overseas tourists to the
Centre.
- To provide for a tourist information centre, including a cultural heritage
museum.
Training
Trainees are mainly drawn from caseloads of the Cafda Social Work Department
and consist of unemployed people and the youth from local communities.
The trainees undergo training programmes in various crafts, provided by trainers
from within the community. Entrepreneurship and life skills form a key
part
of the training as this will enable trainees to start their own businesses
once they have completed the programme.
Trading
Trainees exhibit and sell their crafts to visitors at the Stables. The business
training also assist trainees in marketing and selling their crafts at
the centre. Visitors are also be able to view the actual manufacturing of the
crafts. Local Community members are being invited to trade at the Centre.
Tea Room
One of the rooms is being converted to a kitchen where tea, coffee and traditional
Cape Flats delicacies will be served. Cafda’s existing bakery, an income-generating
project that provides skills training to the unemployed, will be linked to
the tea room. The bakery and tea room will become the anchor tenants generating
income through rental and sales.
Visitors
Tour operators are being approached to include The Stables on their itineraries
as part of a guided tour. The Stables is situated on the border of the Rondevlei
Nature Reserve, which is set to become a major tourist attraction. Visitor
numbers to the Reserve increased by 40% from 1999 to 2000.
Information Centre
An information centre, including a small museum, is also being set up for
the community and tourists. It is envisioned that all aspects related to tourism
for Cafda, Rondevlei and in the future the entire False Bay Coastal Park
could be organised/managed from this central point.
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