Pedestrianism a World Cup Legacy in Cape Town

Pedestrianism is on the rise in Cape Town, South Africa, where the recent World Cup has inspired more citizens to get out of their cars and put their feet on the street.

1 minute read

September 4, 2010, 5:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


A "Fan Walk" of pedestrianized street during World Cup events in Cape Town brought tens of thousands of people into the street. Officials there are hoping the positive experience will translate into a stronger pedestrian tradition.

"They called it the Fan Walk, 1.6 miles of asphalt connecting a public soccer viewing area downtown with the newly constructed Green Point Stadium. The path was mobbed with people during the city's eight World Cup matches; a sea of fans, performers, and kids running wild. The street party was a big change for a city and country that has shied away from venturing beyond the comfort and security of the private automobile.

'The motorcar is central to everything we do,' says Dave Dewar, chair of City and Regional Planning at the University of Cape Town's School of Architecture and Planning."

Monday, August 30, 2010 in The Christian Science Monitor

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