SHELLEY POINT NEWS
A community newsletter dedicated to fostering a sense of community and the free flow of information at Shelley Point
November 2018
FROM THE EDITOR: Hi All Summer has returned with a vengeance producing very hot, dry and windy conditions on most days. These long sunny days have their pros and cons. I mean, what can be better than enjoying leisurely, idyllic strolls on the beach or sipping an ice-cold glass of wine while you watch the sunset? However, the wind at this time of the year is not for the faint-hearted and I am sure that you, like me, have had occasions when you are literally swept off your feet (and not in the romantic way!) Or, you are confronted with washing that has corkscrewed around the washing line so many times that you really struggle to unravel it. But it is the variety of weather that one experiences on the West Coast (sometimes all four seasons in one day), that make life here so interesting – one never knows from one day to the next what different kinds of weather will be experienced on a specific day. Anyway, whatever the weather, I sincerely hope that it finds you fit and flourishing. Have a noteworthy November Terry - shelleypointnews@gmail.com FROM THE CHAIRMAN: As I near the end of my term of office as chairman of the association, it is perhaps appropriate to reflect briefly on the past two years and the progress made in the establishment of efficient management systems to support the lifestyle of owners and the development of the estate over time. I believe that substantial progress has been made in putting in place the necessary financial, maintenance, security and development support systems and that these are now working to improve the overall management process. For this, I must thank all the trustees and staff who have worked hard to design and implement these systems. The systems implemented have supported decision making and allowed the deep interrogation of the associations expenditure patterns. This has allowed us to extract substantial savings across many areas of operation and has improved service delivery within very real budgetary constraints. We are however living in times of significant economic headwinds and this will impact on all of us in some way in the immediate future. Many challenges remain which will have to be addressed over time but the fundamentals are, I believe, now in place. I am confident that we have the tools in place to manage these uncertainties effectively and efficiently.
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May I take this opportunity to remind all members of the association AGM scheduled for December 20th and encourage you to attend if it is at all possible. This is your association and it is up to you to make your voice heard and establish future policy direction and strategy. Cheers, Ian Mac HOMEOWNERS HAVE THEIR SAY: Vandalism of the substations on 22nd and 25th streets: In response to the concerns of several homeowners regarding the three incidents of vandalism on the Estate, particularly with regard to the ease at which the criminals were able to gain access to the property, Chris Sivertsen (trustee responsible for overseeing security matters on the Estate), has this to say! ‘Firstly, thank you to all of you for taking an interest in the operation of the estate; it is always heartening to receive constructive comments! After spending most of my career on diamond and gold mines, I must sadly concur that inside information is very often involved in robberies or attempts at robberies. At Shelley Point we however have an added complication, namely the presence of very many contractors on site, involved with home construction and alterations. Given that we have 30+ active building sites, and assuming that each site has 15 to 25 workers, we sometimes have as many as 600 contractors on site. While most are honest, hard-working individuals, it is a fact that their remuneration is not stellar, and some must be tempted to augment their incomes in the current financially stressed times. I believe that they, and not our security staff, are the more likely source of inside information. In addition, Security Manager Daniel Plaatjies, moves his staff around regularly, and we have had a recent change of service provider (Excellerate has replaced ADT/Fidelity) with a consequent change of nearly half the staff. Daniel had the opportunity to develop a changed and improved team, and I am confident that this team will serve us very well. I am very happy to discuss this issue further if any other homeowners have any additional concerns. Guests and visitors bringing dogs and other pets onto the Estate: Clinton asked for clarification regarding guests and visitors bringing their pets to Shelley Point. His enquiry stems from observations of visitors bringing their pets onto both residential properties as well as the beachfront irrespective of whether the homeowner is present or not. As both a dog owner and a homeowner (but not a regular visitor) himself, he was interested in knowing more about the rules regarding this, particularly since there is a ‘No Dogs Allowed’ sign at the main entrance. SPHOA Chairman, Ian Mackintosh has responded as follows, ‘According to the SPHOA rules, a guest coming to visit a homeowner may bring pets if the homeowner is home and has given permission for guests to do so. The homeowner then becomes liable for any problems caused by these pets. If the homeowner is not home, then guests may not bring in pets. This applies equally to short term residents renting holiday accommodation.’ Shelley Point Hotel opening: Several homeowners have written to Shelley Point News over the last two months requesting information regarding the reopening of the hotel and associated restaurants. Unfortunately, we have received very little information other than the fact that the Cattle Baron Restaurant is anticipated to open somewhere around end November and that the hotel itself will also be reopening around this time or shortly thereafter. No other details have been forthcoming.
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UPDATE FROM THE SHELLEY POINT BOARD OF TRUSTEES: Financial: The financial year-end at end September was concluded without problems and the financial statements for both the HOA and the Sports and Social Club are currently being prepared for submission to the auditors. In general, it was a solid financial year and we do not anticipate any adverse audit findings. Maintenance: The 2018 road maintenance / upgrade programme is in progress at the time of writing and should be concluded by early November. Re-surfacing of the club tennis courts has also started and should also be finished by the end of October. Building activities: We are still managing 30 plus building sites across the estate. Most of these are new homes but there are also many renovation/upgrade projects in progress. The management of these building sites is extremely time consuming with such a large number of contractors and sub-contractors involved. Water: The winter rainy season has come and gone and we are grateful for the rain which has brought dam levels up to around 76% regionally. There has been a slight easing of water restrictions by the Saldanha Bay Municipality but substantial easing is unlikely given the uncertainty regarding next years’ rainfall. The project to rehabilitate the Shelley Point desalination plant is ongoing (slowly) and discussions regarding the future supply of water to the estate are at an advanced stage. Watch this space! SECURITY REPORT (Daniel Plaatjies): Estate Security: Next to keeping our Estate marketable and ensuring the safety and security of your home, our biggest challenge is to keep the estate as crime free as possible. Currently the estate has the following security measures in place: • Perimeter security fence of minimum 1,8m. Note that this fence does not enclose the entire perimeter. • Thermal imaging cameras on the boundaries, • 24-Hour controlled entrance gates, • 24-Hour On-site Control room, • CCTV cameras, • 24- Hour dedicated response vehicle, • 24-Hour patrol guards with a permanent static guard at the beach (East). Vehicle Access Control: The old “white book” system is rapidly becoming outdated. We currently use the Identiscan VAPAC (vehicle access control /people access control) systems that scan the driver’s license and the vehicle details of visitors and service providers. Owners and long-term tenants will not be affected by the VAPAC systems, as their ingress and egress is controlled and monitored by the biometric fingerprint system or License Plate Recognition (LPR). Apart from far better management and archiving capabilities linked to a VAPAC system, the access security will be tighter. Pets: Numerous complaints regarding barking dogs, free-roaming dogs and dogs being walked without a leash and creating a nuisance, have been lodged with the Estate Manager. Estate rules require residents and visitors to ensure their pets do not become a nuisance or disturb the peace. Pets outside the owners’ property are to be leashed and properly controlled at all times. Our aim is to ensure that we create a safe and friendly environment for our residents and their children to enjoy the use of our streets and beaches.
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Alarm Systems: Whether you’re installing a new system or simply upgrading your existing one, contact Sales Consultant Gina Jackson at Excellerate Services to ensure your home gets the protection it deserves. LEAPFROG PROPERTIES PHOTO OF THE MONTH: Once again, we received many submissions for consideration for Photo of the Month. However, it was unanimously decided that 20-year-old Alex’s photo which we entitled, Rolling Wave, is truly magnificent and a very worthy winner. Alex’s photo will now automatically be entered into the Photo of the Year Competition with lots of cash prizes up for grabs, courtesy of Maurits Marnewick of Leapfrog Properties. SPORT AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES: Sundowners and Art exhibition on Friday 30 November at 5.30pm: Don’t miss this months’ Sundowners at the golf club on 30th November when renowned local artist Jannie Jordaan will be giving a short talk. As you all know, Jannie is the art teacher who gives lessons to aspiring artists at Shelley Point. He will be giving a demonstration on how to create a painting in one lesson and in addition, there will be a lucky draw for an original painting by the artist himself. There will also be a display of a selection of art created by Jannie’s students here at Shelley Point over the last few months. Alongside is a painting created by one of Jannie’s Shelley Point students.
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Bowls News (Liz Roberts): The bowls club is going strong with thirty-one members registered at the end of the 2018 financial year. The new fee structure and invoices have been sent out to all existing members so please contact me if you have not received these. The green has been relatively quiet over the winter months but small groups have been active and some great bowls has been played. For those of you that have been away, it’s now time to shake off those winter blues, get out into the fresh air and enjoy a game. The Bowls Club still meets every Tuesday and Friday mornings but starting times have now changed to 9am. Some bowlers have also been playing on Saturday mornings and this is proving to be quite popular. If sufficient interest is shown, this may become a regular feature in the future. Watch this space! The green has been a little rough over the winter period and as such, soil samples were taken and sent away for analysis. Once results have been received and the necessary treatment recommended, we may have to close the green for a fortnight to allow treatment to take effect. However, it will be worth the wait and you will be notified should this happen. So, till next month………. keep bowling or rolling. (chezroberts@mweb.co.za) Tennis News (Niel du Toit): The courts were resurfaced during October and look stunning. An interesting aside is that Columbus, one of the men on the resurfacing team (pictured below) was also in the team that built the courts twelve years ago in 2006. Let's hope that the new surface will give us another twelve years of playing pleasure. We are hoping to have an open day during the December holidays to celebrate the resurfacing so watch this space!
Golf News: No report received this month. Please consult the information page for contact information. Bridge News (Terry Mackintosh): A reminder that the Bridge Club will remain open during the festive season! Any homeowners or their guests who would like to play while they are visiting, please contact Terry at didge28@gmail.com. All players welcome - from beginners to expert. Play is on Wednesday afternoons from 13h00-17h00 and includes tea and snacks. LIFE AT SHELLEY POINT: Rainfall update so far for 2018: According to local rainfall recorder, Henri Roux, we received a total of 14mm for the period mid-September to mid-October. This brings total rainfall for 2018 to 181 mm. This compares very favorably to the same period last year when total rainfall from January to mid-October was only 92.5mm. The same period in 2016 yielded 214 mm of rain while the long term annual average is around 220 mm.
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Snake Alert: With the advent of the hot and dry weather, our resident snake catcher, Johan Blaauw, has been kept very busy in recent weeks. Snakes are coming onto residential properties, probably looking for water which can be found in dogs drinking bowls and in bird baths. If you spot a snake on your property, please contact Johan on 0845781892. While you are waiting for him to arrive, keep an eye on the snake (from a safe distance, of course) so that you can point out its location to Johan. Do not kill the snake or attempt to catch it yourself. Birding around St Helena Bay: With plenty of visitors expected in Shelley Point over the next few months, there are frequently queries by bird watchers about the resident bird populations in the area. The West Coast is well known as a birding hotspot due to the diversity of vegetation and the many lagoons, marshes and estuaries in the area, all of which support huge migrant Palearctic populations from Europe and Russia. Over 250 species of birds have been recorded – some 65 of which are seabirds like flamingos, various duck species and the striking African Black Oystercatcher which is presently threatened by predation of its natural home – the beach where it lays its eggs. So, where are the best birding spots in the St Helena Bay? There are a few good locations as follows: •
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On the gravel road between Stompneus Bay and Paternoster, large numbers of waders can often be seen at the animal feeding and watering points on the various farms along this road. These are also good sites to spot swallows and martins that feed on the insects at these feeding stations. On one of these farms, you will see a vlei with a large rock where migratory Blue Cranes often gather. And the large bush shaped like a plum pudding was the nesting site of a pair of Secretary Birds for many years. Opposite the big dairy farm where there is sometimes a trickle of a stream next to the road, you can often spot dryland birds such as Namaqua Doves and a range of larks and pipits. In St Helena Bay itself, take the turn-off opposite the fish factory and follow the road past the reservoir climbing up to Britannica Heights and take in the stunning panoramic views across to Baboon Point at Elandsbaai. If you then walk or drive the short circular route, you should be able to spot all five species of Larks found on the West Coast – Red-capped, Large-billed, Cape Clapper, Karoo and Cape Long-billed. Other dryland species commonly found in this area are Southern Black Korhaan, Namaqua Sandgrouse and if you are lucky, even the Common Quail.
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Also, in St Helena, take a drive past Sandy Point to the Hannasbaai area where you will find large numbers of roosting terns and gulls as well as many wader species such as Common Greenshank where the weed washes up and White-breasted Cormorants on the rocks. These are all also frequently spotted along the rocky shores around the lighthouse at Shelley Point and along Shell Bay. Shelley Point itself, with its wealth of indigenous bush, is also a treasure trove of bird species like the Cape Spurfowl, Bokmakierie, Double collared and Malachite sunbirds and Helmeted Guinea fowl.
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Bokmakierie
Double collared Sunbird
Then, continuing along the beach area of Britannia Bay, many species of various waterfowl can be seen. If you continue up to Duykereiland, Thick-knees and Spotted Eagle Owls are regularly seen in the daytime and seasonally, you can sometimes find the Southern Grey Tit.
NB: Do not miss the Berg River estuary at Velddrif. This world-famous birding “hotspot” is sure to yield one or two “lifers” for most avid twitchers. (Reference: St Helena Bay Tourism). Have you spotted any rare or unusual bird here at Shelley Point? If so, please share the information with us at Shelley Point News. And, if you managed to get a photo, please send that along too. Restaurant Review: No restaurant review this month but the Cheese-mouse and Wine-fly will be back “on the job” for the December issue. VASCO SAYS:
It’s that time of the year when the threat of bushfires is great. Please remind your guests and tenants that open fires are not allowed on the property or on the beach. And smokers, please don’t throw your butts in the bush. Not only does this cause an unsightly litter problem but it also creates a potential fire hazard!
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SPHOA DIRECTORY Position Estate Manager Administrator Security Manager ADT Patrol Car ADT Control Room Pro shop /Club house Golf captain Bowls captain Tennis captain Bridge captain Community notice board Fire alert (ADT) SA Police Service SA Police Service Ambulance Cell phone emergency
Name Norman Cowen Lindy Cowen Daniel Plaatjies Supervisors Controllers Gerilda Arendse Anne Ainsworth Liz Roberts Niel du Toit Terry Mackintosh Chris Roberts Response Vehicle St Helena Bay National National Universal
E Mail manager@sphoa.co.za admin@sphoa.co.za daniel.plaatjies@excellerate.co.za NA NA shelleypcc@gmail.com britanniaza@yahoo.com chezroberts@mweb.co.za ddt@vodamail.co.za didge28@gmail.com chezroberts@mweb.co.za
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Telephone 082 784 2920 022 742 1309 071 312 8861 083 636 6466 022 742 1380 022 7421037 083 455 5321 083 327 4349 082 579 9692 076 6004641 076 7832035 0835560052 0227368060 10111 10177 112