Y O U R ELITE COM M UNITY P UBLICATION
ISSU E 1 | 2 0 1 6
Sustainable living on the Estate of Choice
A P UB LI CATI ON OF T H E H OM E OW N E R S A SSOC IATION
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WOODHILL CONTENTS ISSUE 1 | 2016 Bring it on! – Letter from the Editor It’s all about change! – Letter from the General Manager A snap shot of the Woodhill Estate Secure @ Woodhill The Wastegroup New Woodhill website and community portal Woodhill College Succulent gardens Keeping it green John Collier acknowledgement Cocktails with the champs Birding for beginners Friday Happy Hour @ WCC I want, I want, I want! Commemorating the youth
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02 05 06 08 12 14 16 18 20 22 25 28 30 32 34
Woodhill Aesthetics Committee WCC Pro-shop Wanna Be a Champion Ladies Club Champs 2016 Exercise made easy Wanting to lease or sell your Woodhill home? Monthly Doggie Walk Easter @ Woodhill Lucky Draw Waking up in the dark Growing up sustainable Mandela Day Kids corner Home grown Approved Estate Agents
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WH | CONTENTS
IMPORTANT CONTACT NUMBERS Switchboard 012 998 0011 General Manager Patrick Holden gm@woodhill.co.za Senior Financial Manager Adriaan du Plessis sfm@woodhill.co.za PR & Marketing Manager Sarita Stonehouse marketing@woodhill.co.za
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Pro Shop Bookings 012 998 0021 Golf Co-ordinator Stephan Dreyer golf@woodhill.co.za
Course Superintendent Frikkie Potgieter Frikkie@woodhill.co.za HOA Reception Onica Ramasodi reception@woodhill.co.za WCC Reception Olivia Moholola wccreception@woodhill.co.za Security Control Room & After Hours 012 993 1236 - 24 hour service 071 112 6547 - Emergency
TLG Publishing (Pty) Ltd for Woodhill Residential Estate.
ADVERTISING SALES
Conference/Functions Lizette van der Merwe conference@woodhill.co.za
Golf Corporate Sales Lizelle Botes corporate@woodhill.co.za
PUBLISHER
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Tracey Garde 082 460 6007 | ads1@woodhillmag.co.za
EDITOR Tracey Garde 082 460 6007 | editor@woodhillmag.co.za
DESIGN & LAYOUT Patzwi Design House (Pty) Ltd 081 341 1032 | design@woodhillmag.co.za
WOODHILL MARKETING Sarita Stonehouse | 071 607 6264
All work published in Woodhill Magazine is protected by copyright. Only with written permission from the publisher may any part of this magazine be reproduced or adapted in any form. We welcome contributions to Woodhill Magazine, but the publisher of this magazine retains unrestricted rights to edit submitted material. The publisher will place editorial contributions at its own discretion, space allowing. We do not accept responsibility for material submitted and cannot guarantee the return of any original material. The publisher’s opinion is not necessarily that publishing in Woodhill Magazine and the publisher does not accept any liability of any nature that may arise from the contents of the magazine.
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WH | GENERAL
BRING IT ON!
Letter from the Editor - Tracey-Leigh Garde
Challenge is defined as a fight to decide who is superior in terms of agility or strength and for most of us, the challenges we are facing today are some of the toughest we’ve ever faced. Our current water crisis is a case in point. For years we have enjoyed the abundant supply of water used to top up our swimming pools, make sure our lawns stay green for longer and wash our cars amongst other things. It is a commodity most of us took for granted – until now! All of a sudden, we are faced with restrictions, advise on how to save water and even asked to fill up our 5litre empty bottles to send off to the drought stricken people in the Free State.
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We have chosen to focus this issue on sustainable living. Grey water harvesting, growing your own veggie garden and waterwise gardening to name a few of our articles of interest. As we have gathered information and put these editorials together, we’ve realised that sustainable living is a concept that should have been implemented years ago and there is still loads to learn. We hope that some of the information conveyed will be of use to you in your efforts to live sustainably. Of course, there are other challenges we currently face which don’t involve the physical environment around us but still needs attention in order to be sustainable such as political aspects of our country. The media of late has been flooded with editorials of decisions made and actions taken which have caused much debate amongst the South African people. Our
recent celebration of Freedom Day on 27 April highlights our country’s acknowledgement that we exercise our rights to freedom that we fought so many years to attain. As we face our challenges head on, so we will overcome them. Becoming more aware of our environment and what we can do is a great start in an attempt to reduce our individual lifestyle use of the Earth’s natural resources. We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we have enjoyed putting it together for you. Happy sustainable living.
Tracey
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WH | HOA
IT’S ALL ABOUT CHANGE! Letter from the General Manager - Patrick Holden
for the Association. The move has also allowed the staff to work in closer proximity to the Country Club staff, thereby enhancing our own communication processes and teamwork. In another move, you will have seen that there has been change in the Country Club owned Pro-shop. New shop fittings are evident, new stock and varying brands, including being able to cater for the squash and tennis enthusiasts are available, again where all profits will go back into the Estate.
Forest Gump made a statement back in 1994, when he said “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.” Fortunately for us, we have been able to embrace many positive changes against a backdrop of political uncertainty and a forever changing landscape, in order to secure our future at Woodhill as an Estate of Choice. Some of you will have noticed that most of the Homeowner’s Association offices have now moved to the Clubhouse. This move has allowed us to successfully lease out five offices, in order to generate additional income
We’ve also welcomed on board Wanna Be a Champion who will be driving the Woodhill Golfing Academy. As we view communication as a key element to the success of our relationship with our residents, we have investigated an effective, “best of breed”, communication system, in order to keep you up to date with what is happening on the Estate. You will have already received personalised information to assist you logging into the portal. In keeping with our efforts to ensure sustainable living on the Estate, we have also investigated various options with regards to refuse recycling. Inside this magazine you
will find an editorial on Wasteplan, giving you some insight into their services. The new Aesthetics committee met in April 2016, something that we are all excited about, particularly as it relates to their future involvement on again change, possibly within side the confines of rule change proposals and general aesthetic improvements that can be made on the Estate. We also look forward to reporting back to you on the success of the new activities in the next magazine, and have included an editorial by Ben Kleynhans (Director Security) on the Fibre to the Home (FTTH) proposal, which is now in the latter stages of being finalised. Lastly, we encourage residents to communicate with my office, should there be any issues you would like to bring to our attention. Please feel free to contact me on gm@woodhill.co.za. Warm regards,
Patrick
Woodhill welcomes our office park tenants: • • • • • •
Wanna Be a Champion Xone Remote Surveillance Centre All Square Media 3%.com Alor Security JCS
Opening 4 July 2016: • Postnet @ Woodhill
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WH | HOA
A SNAP SHOT OF THE WOODHILL ESTATE - a conversation with both our Chairman of the HOA, Jack van der Merwe and the General Manager, Patrick Holden Q: Jack and Patrick, the next HOA AGM is planned to take place on the 15th of August, 2016. Can you give us a brief summary of what has been achieved so far this year? A: At last year’s AGM held in August 2015,
there were two special issues that required the Board’s attention. Firstly, to obtain approval from homeowners for the raising of R10m to complete the perimeter fence thermal camera project. If you can recall at the AGM, the Special Resolution No 1 did not get the required approval from homeowners. This was then addressed and approved at a SGM held on the 16th of November, 2015, allowing us to fund the next phase of the project. As was stated at the last AGM held in 2015, the Estate is now 16 years old, and has ageing infrastructure. One of the ways to generate additional funds would be to unlock the value of the parcels of land to be found on the estate, whereby they could then fund future projects, such as upgrading the clubhouse, developing a retirement village etc. The Board undertook this year to investigate the various land-development opportunities and then revert back to homeowners with the various options. Much work has been done on this, and we hope that prior to this year’s AGM we will be in a position to convene a meeting with homeowners and report back our findings as well as a possible way forward. On security matters, the security situation has drastically improved, and since March of last
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year, we have had no serious break ins or thefts reported on the Estate. This is an area that we can show no form of complacency and we remain today, very vigilant as to the threats around us. From a project perspective, the grids at both the Lorista Street crossing and the De Villebois crossing were completed in November 2015. The new structures, I am sure you will agree, are sound and act as excellent barriers to any would-be thief wanting to enter the Estate. Final discussions with Telkom including running fibre to all the homes is well underway, with work related to completing the thermal cameras on the total perimeter fence targeted for completion before Christmas 2016. Once the security aspect of the project has been completed, the full fibre roll out will take place in 2017. Information meetings, on the cost benefits of having fibre to the homes, will be held with homeowners at the clubhouse. On golfing matters, the golf course remains in excellent condition, despite the weather variations we have experienced so far this year. For those of you who are golfers, you will have seen that we have added an additional 20 new golf carts to our fleet, which come with the latest Visage (GPS and fleet management) system on board. We expect to receive the balance of an additional 30 carts within the next few weeks. From a financial perspective, we are currently finalising the Annual Financial Statements for all three companies for the period ending
29 February 2016. Both trading companies are in the black, and although WCC (Asset Company) shows a loss, this is due to the sale of the old golf carts, where the monies will only be received in June 2016. For those of you that have kept up to date with the Plastic View re-settlement process, the latest information on hand is that the City of Tshwane has now undertaken to not proceed with the relocation of the occupants of the Plastic View settlement, until a full regulatory and legal process has been undertaken. On questioning our attorneys as to how long they think this process will now take, their answer was that a possible 36 months would elapse before the move will be considered.
Q: Patrick I can recall that at the end of last year, some of the HOA staff moved down to the Country Club building. What was the reason for this move and what is the current status quo? A: Yes you are quite right - there were a
number of office moves that took place, with some staff reallocating to other offices inside the HOA building whilst others moved down to the Clubhouse. We realised that the available space in the HOA offices was not being used optimally and that there was a possible revenue stream if we were to carry out this move. As we thought, the demand for offices has exceeded the supply and at the end of June 2016 we will have seven tenants, bringing in approximately
R20 000 a month which will assist us in financing minor projects throughout the Estate, something we never had before.
time to ensure that the Pro-shop project gets off the ground. Louis, we are indebted to you and if you are reading this article – a big THANK YOU.
Q: We saw at the end of February 2016, the departure of Paul Marks and in particular, the taking over of the running of the Proshop by the Country Club. Can you tell us a little bit about what is taking place there.
Q: Jack, Patrick, are you going to appoint a new Golf Director to replace Paul?
A: In short, Paul’s contract was up for renewal
at the end of February 2016, and as part of the negotiation process, Paul opted to move to Blair Atholl as their General Manager. As a consequence to Paul’s move, the Board decided to take over the Pro-shop and driving range for the account of the Country Club. For a number of years, the Country Club has received no income whatsoever from neither the Pro-shop nor the driving range. Yes, the staff in the Pro-shop were Paul’s staff, the stock was Paul’s and the driving range was manned by his staff, so apart from the retainer that Paul was paid, there was little income retention for the Club. This has now all changed with Paul moving on and despite the fact that we have not been able to fully stock the shop yet, the revenues that we have seen to date have been very positive. However, watch this space, as the new shop-fitting will be taking place very soon and a variety of stock will make this area something that we can all be proud of. Many of you will have seen Louis Bekker, the deputy Chairperson of the WHOA Board, one of our residents and a keen golfer, giving a lot of his
A: Yes we are. However, we have decided
that the name “Golf Director “does not cover the scope of work we have in mind to turn around the golfing experience at Woodhill and accordingly, we will be changing the name of this position to “Business Manager”. This function will then extend to cover the golfing experience, Pro-shop, the Hospitality aspects of the business including the caterers and the golf course maintenance. This position is currently being advertised and we plan to have this position filled by July.
Q: We understand that there has been a staff restructure within the Woodhill Companies. Can you explain what has happened here? A: The Estate has a yearly combined payroll of
approximately R9.8m, which represents almost 25 % of combined incomes for both the Country Club and the HOA. If we can do things more efficiently at a less of a cost, then we should seriously look at whether this can positively impact on our business. Many companies continually go through an evaluation process which makes them leaner and more competitive. We are very conscious of the increases that
homeowners have had related to levy increases over the last two years and believe that if we can keep the levies down, without compromising on the service delivery, we should complete the process of re-structuring.
Q: Before we conclude this interview, are there going to be any surprises for the Homeowners in the form of additional levies? A: One can never say never, but at this point in time we do not see any new or additional special levies being incurred for the new financial year ending 2017.
Q: Gentlemen, any closing comments? A: The AGM is an important event for the Estate.
It’s where ordinary and special resolutions are debated and approved by homeowners and important aspects of the Estate are discussed. It affects all homeowners and allows for interaction to take place with the Board. It’s also a time when the Board members are appointed. The AGM’s have traditionally been poorly attended, and only a limited number of proxies are usually handed in. I would like to thank the WHOA Board members for their dedication and hard work during the past year. Your dedication has made Woodhill a better place to live and to earn the name of ‘Estate of Choice”
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WH | SECURITY
SECURE@ WOODHILL A Must Read
The 2015 AGM saw the selection of 7 new Board Directors, whilst the Special Security Levy was not approved. Having made myself available as Director specifically for the Security Portfolio we had to get going immediately. Deja vu. The Security Committee (Mac vd Merwe as Chair) provided me with fantastic support, whilst being a good sound board at the same time. Our General Manager’s input and presence at all meetings was always invaluable. This article is aimed to provide feedback and to give information of the planned Phase 2 roll-out. Sept – Dec 2015 saw the following • Investigate the Fibre to the Home (FTTH) as part of the Security Solution o Questionnaire sent out, responses analysed, reporting to the Board. • Residents were invited to participate in the process. A few did. o Setup of Fibre Committee (comprising of several residents) • Contact with several suppliers, working through presentations. • Presentation to Board. Approval to move forward. Thanks Cameron Scott. • Special AGM: Special Security Levy approved • River exit grid approved, completed • Guard houses clean-up done • Control Room upgrade started. Jan 2016 to date: • Various meetings with Xone (our Security Services provider) Management. • Engaging with Telkom for Security Phase 2 Upgrade, FTTH as part of solution. o More on this later • River entrance. Heavy duty upgrade of grids approved, project completed. • Risk Register. Making sure we understand. • Introduced proper access procedures for golfers. • Fire Audit. Correction and maintenance done. Thanks Tony. • Introduction of Fence Maintenance/Repair schedule, with Budget – approved. o Going in-house with cost cutting exercise.
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• Reworking Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) – Thanks Laurie Wilkinson and Mac. • Investigating areas to cut costs without compromises o Golf carts used by Security – own fleet. o Personnel • College gate. (Weak link) o Investigate options o Meeting with College o Meeting with residents Still to do, or in progress: • Communication needs attention. o Between residents and Control Room, and the gates • Training planned • Equipment upgrade planned in Control Room and gates • Technical Telephone (App) Solutions – Rapido – Thanks Mac • Re-thinking the use of cell phones to allow access. Thanks Kobus Rossouw o SOP’s in Control Room and on the Estate during emergencies • Possibility of convenience store. Enhancing safety of residents. • Establishing a services provider database, with pre-checking. (Including casual labour) • Finding funds to rework Estate side of College gate for better functionality. Security Upgrades: Phase 1 Upgrade was approved in 2014. It included thermal cameras, on roughly 1/3 of our fence, linked to the Control Room. Work was mostly completed towards the end of 2015. The Fibre Committee was tasked to investigate the possibility of using Fibre Optic cables as part of the total Phase 2 Security Solution. Following a transparent process, they engaged with several big players in this space recommending Telkom as the main contractor. (End Jan 2016) The HOA Board emphasised the importance of making sure the solution fitted the budget. Several planning sessions with Telkom (and their contracted service providers) followed, as the solution had to include civil work at some gates and Thermal
Cameras on the remainder of the fence. Financial numbers were presented to the Financial Director, and then to the Board for approval. (End March) As you read this (end May) we are finalizing the contract with Telkom, where after work will start. (Planned for July 2016) Phase 2 Security Upgrade Summary: • Finishing the upgrade of the Control Room. o Including software needed to run the systems. o Voice recording, and call-queuing. Bulk sms’s to residents for feedback. • Thermal cameras on the remainder of the fence. (Our total fence = 8 km) o Combining Phase 1 and 2 cameras into Control Room • Upgrade of gates: Fibre to all gates o Cameras o College gate – • Biometric access/egress, booms and spikes for vehicles • New turnstile gate for pedestrians with biometric readers. o Workshop gate: • Turnstile gate on fence with biometric readers, allowing access for pedestrians (domestic workers) • Fibre to EVERY household, with a device linking residents to the Control Room and the gates. Residents may use this link to contract (own costs) to Telkom for extended services. We have negotiated excellent rates for residents. You are however able to use another service supplier. It is extremely important that you attend the information sessions that will be arranged shortly. Please join the secure@woodhill fb page where all the information will be shared as well. The Camera network and gates will be completed first, where after the roll-out of fibre to every household will commence. We hope to have the whole project completed by Dec 2016. One of the deciding factors was the fact that Telkom owns the network inside the Estate. This means that minimal trenching will be needed.
In discussions with Telkom it was stressed that some residents’ connections (on their property) from the street to home may not be suitable for fibre. In these cases, the rollout (from street to home) costs would be for the resident’s account (as would be the case with any other services provider).
Last comments: • Noisy neighbours. Our Control Room and staff can now deal with this properly. • Dogs being walked without a leash. This is NOT allowed. Please respect our rules and report this to the Control Room. • Some residents may want to re-think the way our staff is being treated at the gates. • Control Room numbers are: o 012 944 9944 o 012 993 1236 o 071 112 6547 – cell o 076 412 5780 – cell
Please call me with any suggestios, or should you wish to assist with this Portfolio.
Ben Kleynhans ben@akropolis.co.za 083 675 0033 Director Security
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WH | HOA
New Woodhill website and
COMMUNITY PORTAL The warmest welcome to all our Woodhill members! As many of you have already experienced, you now have communication, information and documentation at your fingertips. For your convenience you have been added to the Woodhill Community Portal. This will enable you to easily connect to your community anywhere and anytime. The Woodhill Community Portal is part of a Community Management System (CMS) implemented by the Woodhill HOA. The system aims to improve management efficiency and ensure an effective and easy to use communication channel between members and administration. In the Woodhill Portal you have the option of using a variety of value added services. Members can stay updated on all news in their community and view community events or classifieds. Soon looking for a Plumber, Electrician or any other maintenance service for your property, will be simple and you will be able to order a pro directly from the Woodhill Portal or App available to members free of charge 24/7. Other exciting services coming soon to the Woodhill Members on the Portal: • View and update personal and stand details. • View and participate in discussions on various topics regarding your Estate. • Find a list of all the important numbers relevant to your area. • Log queries directly with your Community Management, view and update status. • View history of previous months levy statements
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This is only a few features that will soon be available to you on the Woodhill Portal; visit the website and portal regularly for updated information and additional features.
and internationally, touching the lives of more than 80 000 families. GLOPortal is proudly developed and supported by GLOVent Solutions (Pty) Ltd.
Woodhill members can access the Woodhill Portal in two exciting ways, through the Woodhill Web Interface or by downloading the user friendly GLOPortal Residential Mobile Application.
GLOVent Solutions delivers exceptional value to communities through innovative solutions by utilising state-of-the-art technology.
The Woodhill Community Management System (CMS) is powered by the GLOPortal CMS. GLOPortal is the preferred CMS used by more than 450 communities throughout South Africa
WH | HOA
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Happ� B�rthd�� Woodh�ll Coll�ge! We always have lots to celebrate in the Pre-Primary School and this year is no exception.
V�l�nt�n�s Da� Primary School pupils - Evlavia Sissou, Angelina Vassiliou, Mr Mike Theunissen (Primary School Principal), Danelle Bosman and Raul Martins celebrating Valentines Day.
On 9 February Woodhill College celebrated its 15th Birthday. We started off the day with the whole school gathered together in the Auditorium for Assembly. We all went to Assembly with bare feet as we also celebrated Barefoot Day. Afterwards the Pre-Primary School had a fun filled morning playing on the jumping castles and having a picnic. Our next celebration was for Valentines Day. The children looked very festive dressed in their red, white and pink clothes. They learnt that it is important to be kind and loving to their family and friends. Each child received a heart shaped balloon to remember the day.
Wat�r s�fet� Woodhill College is very excited to announce that a new 4 lane heated, training pool has been built. This pool will be put to good use by the pupils who are not yet water safe, before they progress to the existing 10 lane pool on campus.
012 998 1774 • www.woodhillcollege.co.za
Wat�r Dr�v� Woodhill College joined hands with Xcelsior Loans recently and donated water to families in the drought stricken Free State. On 5 February , the Grade 3 pupils eagerly helped Mr Kobus Beukes from Xcelsior Loans load hundreds of litres of water onto a trailer. We would like to thank the Woodhill College family for contributing to this worthy cause.
Woodhill College is a division of Curro Holdings Ltd
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WH | GARDEN
SUCCULENTS - a great choice for drought-resistant gardens
Water restrictions and high maintenance costs are driving the trend towards low-water, lowmaintenance gardens. More and more people are doing away with lawns and flowerbeds to keep these water guzzlers to a minimum. Succulents are a great choice for droughtresistant gardens because they can withstand infrequent watering and extended dry spells.
Succulents are making a comeback There is a misconception that succulents are prickly dry desert plants, lacking in colour and don’t flower. Not true! South Africa has a vast variety of fascinating succulents. Yes, you can have fun with succulents and they are making a comeback! The increased interest in indigenous plants and the environment means more attention is focused on many of our unique South African aloes and succulents. Have fun with the amazing array of textures and colours
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These plants come in all sorts of interesting shapes, textures and striking colours and thrive in cracks and crevasses, rockeries and sandy or gritty soils. You can play around with contrasting succulents - spiky, toothed, spongy and rounded shapes for eyecatching results. How and where to plant these beauties Choose a spot where at least some of the area gets full sun for most of the day. Any soil will do as long as it is well drained. Succulents do not need a lot of nutrients so nutrient poor soils are fine. Heavy clay soil where water accumulates is not suitable for any succulents. A slope is great if you have it, but not a necessity. Use taller specimens at the centre of the area and spreading species at the edges or dotted among the larger plants as ground cover. Top the area with a layer of pebbles or small rocks to act as mulch, this will help prevent weeds and conserves moisture whilst allowing evaporation of excess water. Succulents work
well with different coloured pebbles, gravels and stones. As water becomes more scarce, succulents will allow you to have a colourful and interesting garden despite heat waves and water restrictions. Once you finish your succulent garden, it will be a place of beauty and relaxation. Succulents have a way of captivating your attention, and they add an element of tranquillity to any space.
SUCCULENT SUPREME
WH | GARDENS
For those of us who regularly drive down Woodhill Drive, you would have noticed the transformation of the pavement on one of the first corners into the most beautiful succulent garden. Resident gardener, Sonja Schoombie has shown us how magnificent a succulent garden can be. Self-taught, Sonja has true ‘’green fingers’’ and a walk around her lovely garden is proof. Her fascination and love for succulents has transformed her outdoor space into a haven of colours, textures and the most interesting succulent species. This garden is truly the epitome of succulent heaven and there are many lessons to be learnt around it being extremely water wise. On our guided tour by Sonja herself, some of the information she shared included the fact that succulent gardening doesn’t have to be boring – and her garden is living proof. With variations of different species she has managed to bring in gorgeous colours, some of which stand out more when a contrasting coloured stone, for example, is placed around the plants. Of course, succulent gardening is also relatively inexpensive as you can break off a piece of a succulent and transplant it with very little effort. Sonja has a small ‘’plant nursery’’ in her back yard which she tends to with care and love ensuring each of her ‘’offspring’’ are successful. If you are thinking of transforming parts of your garden, take a slow walk down the pathway on Woodhill Drive, maybe a picture or two, and then go about carefully planning your own. You won’t be disappointed, especially as we head into Winter and your garden is still showing some beautiful colours whilst the grass ain’t so green anymore…
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WH | GOLF
KEEPING IT GREEN ‘’Drought’’ is one word every greenkeeper fears. A golf course needs regular watering in order to keep it in pristine condition and so, when a drought is eminent, the pressure is on… These past few months have seen South Africa face one of its worst droughts in years. So how does a greenkeeper curb the ever increasing demand for a pristine course in the midst of such dire water restrictions? Our research into this topic revealed that golf course water usage average varies between 1,2 to 3 million litres of water per day. This average will vary between the seasons depending on rainfall patterns. This may seem like an ‘’unfair’’ amount of water used to benefit the course but we must take into account that many golf courses use alternative means of sourcing the water for their course as opposed to taking it
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directly away from the local community. There are a number of factors that determine the amount of water a course uses such as the type of soil on the course, the total area requiring irrigation and turf type. The total area requiring irrigation is influenced by the vegetation in the rough which, if predominantly indigenous with succulents such as on Woodhill Golf Course, then the amount of irrigation needed is less as these plants are able to withstand South African weather conditions. Woodhill doesn’t actually water the rough areas of the course as our irrigation system is an old double row system that only waters fairways and semi-rough areas. The only exception we make to watering certain rough areas is when our dam is overflowing. Of late many golf courses have investigated the additional use of environmentally friendly water saving practices such as water harvesting and the recycling of grey water in an effort to reduce their water usage. Some have even made the move to convert to linksstyle courses with low water usage out-of-play areas planted with water wise local indigenous
plants and others have gone even further and constructed wetlands. It’s clear that golf course management and greenkeepers are feeling the pressure to improve on their water ways. Whilst Woodhill Golf Course is in the fortunate position to have the availability of borehole water supply, there are still many ways that we could improve on water usage – after all, careful water usage is both environmentally and financially sound. Perhaps the use of run-off rain water harvesting is a viable option as this can be done in a simple and cost-effective manner. Woodhill is effectively already using such a system in the form of collecting the run-off and sub-surface drainage water in our dams. Another tip is zoning different sections of the course into different water usage areas such as using indigenous plants that thrive on very little water in the rough areas of the course – something Woodhill considers one of their main focuses. The minimisation of turfed areas is another
consideration together with limiting high water usage to areas that require special pampering such as around the greens and tees, adjacent to the landing areas and approaches. The greens are possibly the most expensive aspect of the course to replace so most greenkeepers are using the water at their disposal to keep the greens alive. Woodhill cuts the fairways and tees to 8mm as the Kikuyu will use less water at this height. Fairways typically fall into a medium water usage zone. One way to ensure that the fairway turf is protected is to advocate the use of golf carts on the pathways only. Golfers should adhere to the restriction during times of drought in an effort to show their support in the conservation of the course and water usage. It seems that there is a trend towards accepting that seasonally dormant turf can provide a viable surface for play, from both a greenkeeper and golfer point of view. When it comes time to fertilise the turf, the main objective is to supply the correct plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), at the correct time and in the
quantities that will provide it with enough to keep it healthy. Ensuring effective fertiliser management will in turn ensure that the turf is in good enough stead to withstand the possibility of a dry spell. Mulch in the rough areas on top of bare soil around trees and shrubs will help to keep the moisture in by lowering the temperature of the soil so that evaporation is slowed down during the hot weather. In turn it also provides winter protection as is can prevent the loss of plants to frost by holding day warmth in the soil around the roots. ‘Irrigation’ is the dreaded word during the dry months as there may be the perception that it’s unnecessary water usage but new technologies and better practices have help improve the efficiency of water usage. Critical best management practices for irrigation include: • Not irrigating during the heat of the day or when it’s windy; • Reducing irrigation in secondary roughareas and where possible, eliminate it in non-play areas;
• • • • •
• • • •
Apply water only as quickly as the soil can accept it; Avoid over-irrigating in the Spring time; Maintain irrigation equipment; and Attend to leaks in the system. Just as we expect the greenkeepers to uphold their social responsibility to environmentally friendly water usage, so golfers should take some initiative to ensure that they co-assist with keeping the course well managed: Support golf course management and greenkeepers on decisions that are environmentally proactive; Respect designated environmentally sensitive areas; Accept the natural limitation and variation of turf grass growing under tough conditions; and Encourage maintenance practices that promote the long-range health of the turf whist conserving water.
Of course the plus side to having our golf course remain in tip top environmentally friendly shape is the value it adds to property and lifestyle.
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WH | ACHIEVEMENTS
Congratulations to our Course Superintendent,
FRIKKIE POTGIETER AND HIS TEAM It was with great excitement that Woodhill Country Club recently received the letter featured on this page from the ofďŹ ces of John Collier Environmental and Governance Research.
The John Collier Environmental and Governance Awards have been in effect for the past 10 years and the purpose thereof is to provide club governors and managers with benchmarks that will enable them to work towards greater environmental responsibility and legislative compliance. The survey interrogates a number of areas including biodiversity, landscaping, heritage, water resource management, turf grass nutrient usage, pest control and energy management to mention a few. As mentioned in the letter received, our Course Superintendent, Frikkie Potgieter and his team were recognised for their excellent work done. Being only one of two clubs in South Africa which submitted an exceptional Environmental and Governance Report, Woodhill Country Club was acknowledged with the Gold – Special Mention Award. Woodhill is once again, proud to have gained another achievement and we view this in a very positive light.
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COCKTAILS
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with the Champions
Our 2016 Men’s Club Championship started off with a fantastic ‘Cocktails with the Champions’ evening on Friday, 13 May 2016. Whilst a lovely evening was spent chatting to our past champs and getting to know one another a little more before the big event, unfortunately, the Men’s Club Championship had to be postponed due to unforeseen wet weather. This first ever cocktail evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all and will certainly be a highlight of our Championship weekend next year.
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BIRDING for beginners
Have you ever wondered how avid bird watchers can identify different bird species without much help of a birding book? We are fortunate enough to live in an area where birds are plentiful - something we might take for granted. For those of you who have noticed the different species but haven’t learnt the skill of identifying them as yet, we have put together a DIY guide to identifying birds.
share certain similarities and if you can place a bird you’ve spotted into a group, it makes it a little easier to narrow down identifying them.
Getting started Identifying our feathered friends is much like recognizing people in your local community. Based on certain characteristics, such as habits, shape, walking style and habitat, once you start really paying attention to the bird life around you, you will notice many of the same species in your area.
Certain field marks of the head include: • Eyebrow stripe (line above the eye) • Eyeline (line through the eye) • Crown stripe (stripe in the midline of the head) • Eyering (ring of colour around the eye) • Colour of the upper and lower bill
Birds are divided into general groups and this would be a good place to begin. These groups
You could use the following features to help identify birds: 1. Silhouette Birds with the same body shape, proportions of the head, legs and wings, tail shape and length of their bill, although they may vary in size, are often part of the same general group. The silhouette of a bird can give one many clues as to their general group. 2. Field marks Many of us are confused by the huge variety of patterns and colours which birds possess but this is nature’s way of helping them recognize members of their own species. These ‘field marks’ are helpful to us in distinguishing different species. Field marks of the head and wings are the most telling.
Posture A vertical or horizontal posture could be the telling sign as to which general group a bird belongs to.
Flight pattern Have you ever noticed that most birds fly in a straight line, flapping in a constant rhythm but there are certain bird groups that have characteristic flight patterns that can help identify them. An up-an-down flight pattern could exhibit a steep, roller-coaster flight or a pattern of moderate rises and falls. Flapping versus gliding – some birds flap their wings several times followed by a glide whilst others are seen souring. Habitat Of course, birds species can only occur within certain types of habitats which complement their survival needs. Once you start avidly bird watching and identifying, you will notice various species within the same general group in our immediate area. With so many beautiful birds around, it’s hard not to notice them. We look forward to sharing more birding information with you (and you with us) as our bird watching skills improve… Feel free to send us your log of identified birds in and around our Estate so that we may feature them in future issues. (E-mail: interface@centuriongolfestate.co.za.).
Information sourced from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All about birds.
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ARE YOU MISSING OUT?
WH | HOA With over 1 billion users worldwide, Facebook is the social networking market leader. Woodhill Residential Estate & Country Club currently has 672 likes with nearly 3 000 visitors to the page. Updated regularly with information on upcoming events and pictures from recent events, we will keep you in the loop‌
Find us on Facebook at Woodhill Residential Estate & Country Club.
Give our Facebook page a
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HAPPY HOUR Friday
@ Woodhill Country Club
Wind down after the long week! Join us every Friday afternoon for Happy Hour. Various drink specials available every week between 18h00 and 19h00.
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I WANT, I WANT, I WANT! by Tracey Garde
I have a confession to make - I was counting the days till the holidays were over and school returned to normal! Crazy, I know, because although the slightly later ly-ins, not having to make lunches every day and not having to spend the afternoons rushing from one activity to the next was heavenly, I found myself wishing for the order, routine and occupied kids!
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“Mommy, I’m hungry” “Mommy, I’m bored” “Mommy, Kendra’s standing in front of the TV again” “Mommy, what are we doing today?” Sound familiar? The thing that got to me most during the holidays and it seems to be getting worse as my kids get older, is their demanding ways. Sometimes I feel like the minute they see that I am about to relax in any way, be it sitting down on the couch to watch a TV programme or making myself a cup of tea, they go into ‘demand mode’ and they aren’t satisfied until they know that mommy isn’t going to do what mommy wants to do! Why do they do this to us? One school of thought is that they aren’t getting enough attention. Work, relationships and everyday life are hectic enough without a toddler demanding more attention from you but perhaps just spending the first 10 minutes of when we get home from work chatting to them about their day, may help ease their attention issues. Another is that we favour one sibling over another. With this point I have to beg to differ because I have totally different relationships with each of my daughters and it’s because they are so completely different. It baffles my mind that I have raised two children of the same gender in exactly the same way and yet the one is so much more demanding than the other. Then there’s the ‘have you taught your child to express their needs in a courteous way?’ How easy is that! Prime example: We went out for dinner with a whole bunch of family members
just the other night. From the moment we arrived, Kendra decided she was starving and for the first half an hour she kept repeating: “Mommy, I’m hungry. Mommy, I’m hungry. Mommy, I’m hungry.” Then, once I had ordered her food it was: “Mommy, when’s my food coming?” As we had ordered her food with our first drinks order, she had already finished eating by the time our food came, so then it was: “Mommy, I’m tired and I want to go home now.” It’s seriously hard to reason with a four year old who knows exactly what she wants. A last thought to the possible underlying problem of demanding kids is that they feel that you don’t listen to them so the only way they can get your attention is by whining and nagging. A few weeks ago I was busy making supper while Kendra started one of her demands (I forget what it was) and when I didn’t respond quickly enough, she proceeded to tell me that her teacher told her, that if someone ignores you then it means that they don’t like you. So, in her mind, I didn’t like her any more. Point taken. Ok, so there may be a few underlying reasons why my child is so demanding but what can I do about it? I suppose a first step would be to let her know that I am no longer tolerating the ‘I want it and I want it now’ attitude. She needs to talk nicely and respectfully to me before I will do anything for her. I have to say, I’ve tried this and it does work although it doesn’t stop her constantly wanting something. Then I have to learn to say “No”. This is a really tough one when your toddler is hanging onto the back of your leg down the sweetie
isle insisting that they are starving and will die on the spot if you don’t buy them that sucker straight away. We’ve all been there... These days I make a point of not looking because I know exactly what it’s like having to drag ‘that child’ through the shop! Patience is a skill I am going to have to practice. When I’m so busy rushing around all the time, it’s hard to deal with the kids demands too. I often find that we are late for school in the mornings because one wants to be dressed and the other wants her hair done – both demanding it happens now! I end up screaming at everyone to hurry up and rushing them along. Perhaps I need take a few deep breaths and deal with one at a time. When I get up in the mornings I’ll try to start preparing them for what to expect within the hour of getting ready for school, taking turns to give each one the attention they need. Lastly I should probably look at things from their perspective. If Kendra is demanding her juice in the red cup then I should just give it to her in the red cup. I often find myself trying to enforce my authority and telling her that she will have the juice in whichever cup I pour it in for her but let’s face it, I only like my tea in a certain mug so why should she not like to have her juice in a certain cup! I must admit that although my kids are demanding, at least I know they have wills of their own and they should at least grow up standing their ground. I’m probably going to miss being hounded one day... although I have a sneaky felling the demands are going to grow and mature as they do!
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Commemorating
THE YOUTH On 16 June each year South Africa celebrates Youth Day.
the philosophy of Swami and the ideals for which he lived and worked would be a great source of inspiration to the Indian youth.
It’s a day commemorating the Soweto Uprising of 1976 – a protest by students from various Sowetan schools which resulted in a wave of protests across the country. The protest was a response to multiple issues the youth had with the Bantu Education Act and the government edict in 1974 that Afrikaans be used as a medium of instruction for certain subjects in black schools. These students associated the Afrikaans language with Apartheid and so preferred to be taught in English.
Thailand celebrates on 20 September each year in commemoration of the birth dates of Kings Chulalongkorn and Ananda Mahidol as well as the many births in the month of September.
The protest began on the morning of 16 June 1976 and an estimated 20 000 students took to the streets. These protestors were met with fierce police brutality and although the official number of protesters killed is given as 176, there is an estimation of up to 700. Hector Pieterson was a 13 year old black school going child who was shot by police during the protests and this struck a chord with many people worldwide about the brutality of the Apartheid government. His picture became the focus point of this day. South Africa is not the only country who commemorates a Youth Day, in fact there are a number of other countries who do so for various reasons. In 1999 the United Nations designated 12 August each year as International Youth Day. The purpose of this day is an opportunity for governments and others to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding youth worldwide. Some interesting facts about other countries that commemorate Youth Day include: Angola who observes Youth Day on 14 April each year in memory of Hoji-ya-Henda who was killed on that day during the Portuguese Colonial War. Taiwan has been commemorating Youth Day sing 29 March 1954. It observes the Huanghuangang Uprising of 1911 when 72 young revolutionaries sacrificed their lives to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. Since 1985, India has celebrated Youth Day on 12 January each year. This is the birthday of Swami Vivekananda whom the Indian Government felt
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On 19 May each year Turkey dedicate the day to the youth. It’s also the day of commemoration of Kemal Ataturk (the ‘’Father of Turkey) and the beginning of the national liberation movement initiated by Ataturk in 1919. This movement began the Turkish War of Independence. Venezuela commemorate all the teenagers above the age of 12 years old who fought and died in the Battle of La Vitoria during the Venezuelan War of Independence (1814) on 12 February each year.
Did you know? Other countries that observe Youth Day are: • • • • • • • • • • •
Albania Azerbaijan Cameroon China Kiribati Morocco Pakistan Tunisia Ukraine Yugoslavia and Zambia
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22 October 2016
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WOODHILL AESTHETICS COMMITTEE Meet our
We are pleased to announce the formation of our very own Aesthetics Committee. Thanks to the elected members who give of their free time and knowledge in an effort to reach the goal theme of ‘Man and Nature lives in harmony Modern Urban-living in a bushveld environment underpinned by long-term sustainability, fair play, integrity and a spirit of co-operation for the benefit of all concerned’ within our beautiful Estate. The purpose of our Aesthetics Committee is to work on projects as a team to protect and improve areas of the Estate such as the Clubhouse. Aesthetic design principles include ornamentation, edge delineation, texture, flow, solemnity, symmetry, colour, granularity, the interaction of sunlight and shadows, transcendence, and harmony. As such, we aim to make weekly and monthly recommendations to our General Manager, Patrick Holden, to present to the Board for approval.
Aesthetics Committee members Sonja Schoombie - Chair Sonja is a qualified CA (SA) running her own audit and accounting practise and has enjoyed life on our beautiful Estate for the past 15 years. Being a high-energy, results-oriented leader with an entrepreneurial attitude, Sonja is honoured to be appointed as Chairperson of the Aesthetics Committee and looks forward to contributing and working with her fellow team members. Callie Engelbrecht - Vice-Chair Callie is an accomplished and highly experienced business founder who has jointly established and led the development of a boutique property firm based in London, possessing a wide and proven background incorporating property development, investment and management. Callie is an energetic and collaborative professional
who builds productive relationships with key stakeholders of all disciplines and excels in converting unrealised potential into exceptional investment opportunities with maximised value proposition. Callie is a family man who loves spending time with his wife and children and pursuing passions for golf, mountain biking and the gym. Zachie Fourie - Secretary After growing up in Heidelberg, Zachie studied at Tuks. Once completing his pre-graduate studies, he moved to Europe to further his career, specialising in Orthodontics in the Netherlands and completing a PhD (CT scanning technology). Zachie completed his Masters at the University of Edinburgh during that time. After 12 years in Europe, he returned to South Africa and fell in love with Woodhill. He now runs his own Orthodontic practice in Moreleta Park. Zachie, his wife and three small kids love the outdoors and travelling. He is an active person who loves golf, tennis and triathlons. He is looking forward to being part of the Woodhill community and strives to make a difference. Isabel Burgers Isabel is a qualified Interior Designer who has (amongst others) worked on several residential estates such as Val de Vie and De Zalze in the Western Cape, also doing project management for many interior designs and decorating projects. In 2004 she went to London where she worked as a flower designer for 2 years, working on massive events such as movie premiere parties, celebrity weddings, etc. For the past 8 years Isabel has run her own companies doing event styling for both corporate and private clients in South Africa as well as a lot of interior design consulting. Isabel is looking forward to getting involved with the look and feel of the buildings on the Estate (entrances, clubhouse) exterior
and interior, and to helping create a more inviting atmosphere throughout. Thea Mackenzie Thea feels honoured to serve on the Aesthetics Committee and is looking forward to contributing as a means of giving back to an Estate she has had the privilege of living in for 14 years. Her knowledge and skills gained in the art profession and painting as a hobby stands her in good stead to contribute towards enhancing the beauty as well as creative improvements of Woodhill. Gerda Bekker Gerda matriculated at AHM in Pretoria where after she studied Speech Therapy and Audiology at the University of Pretoria. She is currently working alongside her husband in the private sector. A resident of Woodhill since 2000, Gerda has watched Woodhill develop from just a few houses and lots of open pieces of land to the beautiful Estate that is it today. Gerda is passionate about people, nature and travelling. She hopes to see the beautiful nature of Woodhill protected creating an oasis in the city. Patrick Holden - Woodhill General Manager Sarita Stonehouse - Woodhill PR and Marketing Manager Lizette van der Merwe - Woodhill PCO
Woodhill timeline We are busy compiling a timeline to highlight Woodhill’s milestones, achievements and successes over the years. If you have any information that you would like to contribute towards this timeline, please send it to Sonja Schoombie - sonja.schoombie@me.com.
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Woodhill Ladies Meet & Greet Invitation Woodhill ladies are invited to join us for complimentary coffee/tea and cake of the day at the club in the glass cage overlooking the course.
Every last Friday morning of the month
10h30 to 12h00
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Woodhill Country Club
PRO SHOP Be sure to pop in soon‌ Below: Lizelle Botes (Corporate Golf Sales) and Andre Mans (Assistant Pro).
Woodhill Country Club have recently taken the Pro-shop in-house and we are offering our resident (and visiting) golfers great product range and service. Of course we are catering for all aspects of the Clubhouse so squash as well as tennis gear is in stock too. We are also offering great corporate options including branded gifting, clothing, etc – always a hit on golf days and functions. Lizelle Botes is our Corporate Golf Sales lady and you can contact her via the Pro-shop. Brendon van Nieuwenhuizen joins the Pro Shop team as Director of Golf with effect from 1 July.
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WOODHILL Golf Academy
Our Academy We strive for success and endeavour to help each and every student or player achieve their true potential. We are looking at modernizing the way in which golf is taught by incorporating all the aspects of golfing performance such as: psychology, technical skills, physical ability and motor skills into a holistic method of learning the game of golf. We use different types of assessments on each golfer, such as 3D-Analysis, Trackman and a Physical Body Strength and Conditioning Test. This allows us to plan ahead for the athlete and create a stable structure for the future. We believe we can grow and promote golf if we have all the relevant bodies working towards a common goal from our holistic world class facilities. The training and education of our future coaches and super star golfers will be reliant on these facilities. We believe without this structure golf in South Africa will never reach its full potential. Similar structures have proven very successful in developed nations
BIG FIVE GOLF Junior Program The Juniors are the future of South Africa! With our Big Five Golf Junior Development Program we make sure that the junior golfers (and their parents) get the guidance they need, from playful activity until becoming a professional golf player. This program gives you the opportunity to not only enjoy the game of golf, but also to become a better and more competitive golf player. Our Junior coaching structure consists of – Big Five Golf program (Level 1 – 6). In the program we cover: • Motor skills • Life skills
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• • • • • • • •
Technical skills. Fitness and Wellness Holiday Camps Tournaments Supervised Play Video Analysis 1 hour lessons Golfing Rules
The coaches are here to assist and make the game of golf fun using SNAG, LTAD and Kinetic Golf coaching methods.
Meet The Woodhill Team • • • •
Eugene Schwartz - Head Coach Pierre Viviers - Head Coach Natasha Roos - Admin/ Operations Danielle Burger - Junior Admin/ Operations
For any queries please email us at info@ bigfivegolfkids.co.za for our Junior program or at admin@wannabeachampion.co.za for Academy queries. To speak to our Head coaches, call Pierre Viviers at 082 347 5564 or Eugene Schwartz at 072 136 1373.
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LADIES Club Championship 2016
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Our ladies took part in the annual Club Championships on 9 and 10 April 2016 and loads of fun was had by all who participated. Congratulations to the overall winners: • • • • • • • • •
Club Champion 2016 A Division Best Gross A Division Best Nett B Division Gross B Division Nett Mid-Am Best Gross Mid-Am Best Nett Seniors Best Gross Seniors Best Nett
Catherine Lau Catherine Lau Rhona Topka Sonja James Sonja James Adele Beytel Rhona Topka Ronel v Deempter Rhona Topka
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EXERCISE MADE EASY
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The latest, greatest fitness buzz isn’t just a personal trainer in the gym, or a buddy who drags you along to bootcamp! It’s a closer companion – one that is usually attached to your arm all day long. Sync it with the friend in your pocket (your cell phone!) and voila! – now you’re ready to challenge yourself… Technology has improved our lifestyles in many ways but the latest craze that’s taking the world by storm and injecting a renewed sense of well-being, is devices and apps that help motivate, coach and track your progress. Cell phone fitness apps are user friendly, convenient and the information shared is just between you and your phone (something most ladies will agree is an added bonus). Whether it’s for health, fitness or weight-loss motivation, if you’re looking to improve on your daily habits and make some lifestyle changes, then one of the following apps might just be your match made in heaven:
Endomondo
This is a great app for tracking your runs, bike rides and other outdoor activities with good accuracy. It also offers training plans and coaching features if you are a Premium subscriber.
Fitbit
Fitbit have a range of arm trackers that begin with the basics of just counting your daily steps to giving you advanced information about your heart rate, calories burned, etc. But, you don’t actually have to have a tracker to use the mobile app. The Fitbit app can still count your steps (provided you carry your phone with you), help you track the calories you consume, log your weight and record other health information, such as blood pressure and glucose levels. If you do, however, own a Fitbit tracker, the app is even easier to use because it logs a good amount of information about your activity automatically.
Map My Fitness
This app has a wide range of supported activities (more than 600) that help you track different sports and workouts. As with most fitness apps, it uses a GPS to track the routes you travel and shows you a map of the ground you’ve covered when you’re done. Additional statistics include the length of the activity in time and distance as well as pace. If you are looking for something a little more tailored to your specific activity, you could try Map My Run or Map My Ride.
MyFitnessPal
If you’re looking for an app to help you track weight loss, then this is the app for you. With a wealth of tools for tracking what and how much you eat coupled with calculating how many calories you burn through an activity, this app is easy to manage and comes with a large database of foods and drinks.
Strava
When competitiveness is in your blood, Strava is the app for you! Whether you are a runner, cyclist or other outdoor activity type, the list of strangers on the leaderboard is sure to have you pushing yourself harder and harder. You could also use it to compete against yourself – beating your best time – but there’s more fun to be had in numbers and the opportunity to quench your competitive thirst lies in this app.
Nike+Training Club
Everything you would expect from such a world-renowned brand lies in this app. Workouts designed by professional trainers and athletes, customizable fitness programs and compare your progress with others through sharing capabilities. Why wait – just do it! Some of the apps mentioned above are compatible with a number of fitness trackers so do some investigating once you’ve decided which one suits you best and perhaps invest in a tracker to help you along. Your tracker will usually automatically sync with the app to update your stats and keep you motivated. As you learn your eating and exercise habits through the use of these devices, so you will be able to become more aware of what you could possibly improve on or change. Apps are revolutionizing our exercise routines – one step at a time…
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WANTING TO LEASE OR SELL your Woodhill home? Here’s what you need to know… As most of us are aware, the Woodhill Homeowners Association (WHOA) strives to be an “Estate of Choice”. In order to aid our vision, as with many residential estate, the WHOA has compiled a list of rules that are created to protect, secure and advance the communal interests of owners, residents and users of properties within our Estate.
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These rules are intended to preserve the prime objectives of the WHOA and to elucidate the company’s powers as more fully defined in the Company’s Memorandum of Incorporation. As life changes and in an effort to remind homeowners who are considering leasing or selling their Woodhill Property our rules state the following 1.14 Letting and Reselling of Properties 1.14.1 Members are obliged to ensure that purchasers or lessees are furnished with a copy of the existing MOI and Rules with all its annexures, that purchasers or lessees of their properties accept the MOI and Rules and subject themselves in writing to compliance with the MOI and these Rules as from the date of occupancy or ownership, whichever is earlier. Such a written acceptance must be witnessed .The Association has the right to refuse a member or lessee entry
to the Woodhill Estate unless a new incoming member and/or the lessee accepted the MOI and Rules of the Woodhill Homeowners Association and the Association is in possession of the written acceptance. 1.14.2 Members must also ensure that purchasers / lessees are informed of the mandatory registration process for all who will enter and exit the Woodhill gates and those purchasers or lessees have knowledge of the Contractor’s Code of Conduct and any other administrative regulations applicable at the time. 1.14.3 A clearance levy certificate must be obtained from the Association or its Managing Agent at a cost determined by the Association (the amount may be adjusted annually at the discretion of the Association) prior to any transfer or mortgage. The Association will withhold the certificate until all amounts due to it in respect of the property have been paid
WH | HOA and until it has been furnished with a written acknowledgement by the purchaser that he has received, read and binds himself / herself to these Rules. 1.14.4 Members or their appointed accredited estate agent must submit a copy of any lease agreement to the Association’s offices 14 days prior to the tenant being registered on the security system. The Association has the right to screen tenants but the responsibility remains with the Member and its Agent to do the necessary screening. The Association has the right to not approve a rental tenant, without supplying reasons for such non approval. 1.14.5 The seller or lessor of a property in the estate shall ensure that the sale / lease agreement contains the following clauses: 1.14.5.1 Sale Agreements to contain the following: (i) Homeowners Association The purchaser acknowledges that upon registration of the property into his/her name, he/she automatically becomes a member of the Woodhill Homeowners Association and thereby subjects him/herself to the provisions of the MOI and to the Rules of the Association. The Rules become applicable to the owner on the date of occupation of the property by the owner or the date of transfer of the property to the owner, whichever is earlier. (ii) Conditions of Title: The seller shall be entitled to procure that, in addition to all other conditions of title, the following conditions of title be inserted in the title deed, in terms of which the purchaser takes title to the property:
(a) “Every owner of the property or any subdivision thereof or any interest therein or any unit thereon, as defined in the Sectional Titles Act shall, upon registration of the property in his/her name, become a member of the Homeowners Association and be subject to its constitution until he/she ceases to be a registered owner, provided that the Association Rules shall become binding upon the owner on the date on which he/she occupies the property or the date on which it is registered in his/her name, whichever is earlier. Neither the property nor any subdivision thereof or any interest therein nor any unit thereon, shall be transferred to any person who has not bound him/herself to the satisfaction of such association to become a member of the Homeowner’ Association on registration of transfer of the property in his/ her name.” (b) “The owner of the property or any subdivision thereof or any interest therein or any unit thereon, as defined in the Sectional Titles Act, shall not be entitled to transfer the property or any subdivision thereof or any interest therein or any unit thereon, without a clearance certificate from the Homeowners Association which would state that the provisions of the Memorandum of Incorporation of the Homeowners Association have been complied with.” (c) “The member undertakes to commence with the erection of buildings on the property to the reasonable satisfaction of the Association within 3 (three) years of registration of the property into his/her name or within such extended period as the Association, at its sole discretion, may allow
in writing, failing which the Association shall be entitled (but not obliged) to claim that the property be retransferred to the Association at the cost of the member against payment by the Association of the original purchase price to the member, without interest. The buildings shall be completed within 12 (twelve) months of commencement.” (d) “For purposes of (a) and (b) the term “Homeowners Association” is a reference to The Woodhill Homeowners Association NPC.” (e) “Should any alterations to be affected on a property, such alterations must be completed within 12 months from date of commencement of alteration. Penalties will be imposed should the alterations not be completed within the specified time period. All plan approvals and building construction are subject to the Architectural Guidelines and Procedures (Annexure A and B) and Contractor’s Rules and Regulations (Annexure C) No construction may commence before City Council has approved the plans.” (iii) In the event of the Registrar of Deeds requiring the amendment of any of the above conditions in any manner in order to affect registration of it, the purchaser hereby agrees to such amendment. 1.14.5.2 Lease Agreements are to contain the following: All lease agreements are to contain a clause stating that tenants of properties and their family, visitors and servants become bound to these Rules on occupation of the property and they shall adhere to the Rules as contained in this document.
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Monthly
DOGGIE WALK
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Our recent Doggie Walk around the Estate was enjoyed by both pets and their owners… Be sure to look out for information on the date for the next one so you and your furry friend/s don’t miss out.
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EASTER
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at Woodhill Country Club
Hippity hop, the Easter Bunny visited WCC on the Easter weekend and an egg-cellent time was had by all who joined in the fun‌ It’s community events such as these that enhance our community living bringing neighbours, families and friends together.
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FRIENDS of the rail
Friends of the Rail are Tshwane-Pretoria and the nation’s premier steam heritage railway club, looking after the city’s heritage steam locos and running steam train excursions for 25 years. Passengers experience a ‘living museum’ environment when taking one of our excursions. We have two excursion options: Cullinan Trip Our vintage Diamond Express steam train, departing from Hermanstad at 08h00 sharp, will take you to Cullinan. Once there you will have up to 4 hours to relax, explore the town, browse the boutiques and enjoy a leisurely lunch. Jacaranda/Tshwane Xplorer This 2 hour steam train trip is in and around Pretoria as well as up to Irene. Covering a distance of 60 km’s, you are invited to bring your picnic basket on board. During this trip you will be able to see almost all of the tourist attractions of Pretoria, such as the Voortrekker Monument, Freedom Monument, Loftus, the Union Buildings, University of Pretoria, etc.
To book a steam train trip, please contact: Sales office and general enquiries, 012 767 7913 or 082 098 6186, www.friendsoftherail.com
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LUCKY DRAW Monthly
Don’t forget to join our Monthly Lucky Draw on the last Friday evening of every month. In order to win the main prize the winner must be present as the stand and member numbers are entered. Should the winner not be present, the prize money increases for the following month’s draw. Homeowners, residents and golf members in attendance can register before 18h45 on the evening for the second draw prize as well as additional spot draws and prizes done on the evening. There’s always great kiddies entertainment with lots of fun and laughter for all.
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Waking up
IN THE DARK! The weather is starting to cool down and the dreaded winter draws near. It’s not so much the cold that people are not looking forward to… but rather the loadshedding! Colder weather = added pressure on the electricity consumption = loadshedding schedules to ease the strain on the system. We found the following useful energy saving tips for a few everyday kitchen appliances on the Eskom website (http://www.eskom. co.za/AboutElectricity/ElectricityTips/Pages/ Conserving_Electricity.aspx):
Dishwasher •
• •
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Dishwasher energy consumption can be reduced by turning off the dishwasher after the final rinse and before the drying cycle. The clean dishes can then be wiped with a dry cloth. Fill the dishwasher completely before operating. Partial loads waste electricity and water. Short wash cycles, rinse-only cycles, mid-cycle turn-off and other features are designed for energy conservation as well as convenience. Connect your dishwasher to COLD water supply unless otherwise directed. Normally only one wash and one final rinse cycle requires hot water which is heated by an element in the dishwasher. The dishwasher filters must be kept clear of debris. A blocked filter reduces efficiency and wastes energy. Proper loading is important for the dishwasher to work efficiently.
Refrigerator • •
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Choose a refrigerator of a size based on the needs of your family - a refrigerator operates at peak efficiency when filled. Do not overload your fridge, excessive products in your fridge will lower the quality of the food and use more electricity - as much as 10 to 20% more for each extra product. Do not set freezing temperatures lower than necessary; it wastes as much electricity as excessive heat. Thick frost on chilling panels reduces cooling ability. If you do not have a frost-
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free model, defrost your refrigerator when frost is between 0,6 to 1,3 cm thick. Do not open your refrigerator door needlessly. By getting into the habit of removing and replacing several articles at once, you will reduce the loss of cold air. Let hot foods cool down before placing them in the refrigerator. (To prevent bacterial growth allow about 20 minutes standing time). Be sure the seal around your refrigerator door is intact. (Close the door on a piece of paper: if you can pull the paper out easily, the seal should be replaced). Remove all heavy wrapping from food before storing it in the refrigerator. Cover all liquids stored in the refrigerator (especially frost-free models). Foods should be placed slightly apart on refrigerator shelves to allow the cooling air to circulate. Exposed condenser coils/panels (usually at the back of the unit) MUST be kept clean and dust free. When cleaning you must be careful not to damage the panels. Do not place the refrigerator near the stove or against an uninsulated wall that faces the sun. Allow adequate space around the refrigerator for free air circulation. The air carries heat away from the fridge - if air cannot circulate, the fridge cannot work properly. Switch on the energy saving switch, if one is fitted to the refrigerator. Switch off, empty or clean your fridge, when taking an extended holiday.
Freezer • •
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Freezers and refrigerators operate most efficiently when filled to the capacity recommended by the manufacturers. Never forget that only one-tenth of a freezer’s capacity should be used for freezing of fresh food at any one time. The freezer must work harder to remove heat, and uses more power. Example, 28 litres (one cubic foot) will store 12,5 to 15 kg of frozen food and will freeze about 1,5 kg of fresh food at a time. Food to be frozen should be placed in contact with those parts of the freezer that contain the refrigerant tubes, usually the sides of chest models.
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Defrosting of chest type freezers should be done once or twice a year. For upright models, defrosting should be done two or three times a year. NEVER allow frost build up to exceed 0,6 to 1,3 cm. By keeping a list of the location of foods in the freezers, the freezer can be kept open for a minimum of time, preventing the loss of cold air. The freezer should be kept as full as possible to prevent heavy icing. On all models keep condenser panels at the rear of the freezer clean and dust free for maximum efficiency and conservation of energy. A second freezer should only be operated when necessary. In a single door unit, it is essential that the separate freezer compartment has its own door intact. Otherwise the unit will tend to operate the whole of the refrigerator as a freezer - this can be expensive.
Electric stove • • •
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Use cooking utensils with flat bottoms and tight fittings covers. Be sure pots and pans completely cover the stove plates. Take advantage of the heat sensing control for stove plates. It allows the stove plate to cut of the electricity supply occasionally while still cooking. It does not affect the food, only your bill. Use a pressure cooker to conserve energy when cooking foods that take a long time, such as pot roasts, stews and steamed puddings. Do not overcook foods, especially vegetables. Overcooking destroys essential nutrients. For full efficiency from radiant stove plates the stove plate reflectors (underneath the stove plates) should always be kept clean. Bring foods to the boil quickly on the “high” setting, then turn the heat down to simmer to finish cooking. Do not use the grilling compartment to make toast - it is very expensive. Do not use the oven to heat the kitchen - it is very expensive and far less efficient than a heater Keep oven doors completely closed until
WH | GENERAL
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food is cooked. Every time the door is opened, the oven temperature drops, and the heat must be replaced. Use the oven to prepare an entire meal - main course, vegetables and dessert. Remember to plan meals that cook in the oven at the same temperature. Allow free circulation of heat within the oven. Place pans and containers so that they do not touch each other, or the sides of the oven. To keep food warm place in a 66˚C or 82˚C oven. Do not leave it too long or your meal will be very dry. When buying a new stove, choose one with a convection oven. This type of oven uses less energy than conventional ovens and cooking time is substantially reduced.
Microwave ovens • •
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Defrost your food in the refrigerator instead of the microwave oven: it is more economical. Use your microwave oven to cook small to medium quantities of food. To cook larger portions of meat, it is better to use a conventional oven. Some microwaves do not heat up foods
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evenly. Wrap foods in plastic to hold in the steam, this will help to give even heating. Be very careful not to cover the foods too well, steam can burn you badly when you open the packet, so leave a flap open for the steam to escape. Cooking time is an important factor when determining energy efficiency levels. Compare cooking times when you cook the same food in the microwave, in the standard oven, on stove top elements or in a pressure cooker. You will easily see which method of cooking is more efficient depending on quantity, volume and food types. Follow the Manufacturers instructions to ensure that food is cooked correctly. Keep in mind that microwave recipe books give the cooking times required by the appliance used by the authors. Adjust cooking times to suit your micro- wave rating. Never turn your microwave on when it is empty, you could damage it. Keep the edges of your microwave door and its hinges clean. To wash the inside of your oven, boil a cup of water in it and then wipe the sides with a damp cloth.
Back in time: when cleaning out granny’s cupboard recently, we found a Your Family October 1990 magazine with the below Eskom advertisement…
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WH | FAMILY
GROWING UP sustainable!
Although most of us adults are only now realising the importance of sustainable living, it’s never too late to learn. Passing on our newly found learnings will go a long way to ensuring the youth of today grow up practicing it. We found a few useful ways to instil good habits in our kids:
Plant a fruit tree or herb garden We’ve given you some tips on growing your own vegie garden in this issue but if that sounds too big a task for you to take on right now, then opt for planting a fruit tree or a few herbs in a window box. Your kids will love getting their hands dirty in the soil and never mind their excitement when the tree bears fruit or herbs start to grow… Visit the Irene Dairy Farm Not only is a visit to the farm a fun outing, there is so much for the kids to learn. They can watch the cows being milked, feed straw to the calves and count the chickens in the field. Most kids think our food comes from the shop and don’t comprehend the concept of farming so this is a great start to teaching them that there is a process before the food ends up on the shelf. Take a hike or nature walk We have some lovely local reserves that your kids will just love going to. At Groenkloof Reserve you can cycle or walk, enjoying the fresh air and some game at the same time. If you are looking for something more educational whilst still enjoying the outdoors, join a nature walk at Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve. Have a room clean up Get your kids to clean out their rooms and clothing cupboards. Take them with to drop it all at your local charity shop or give them to someone you know in need. It’s a good way of educating our kids about ‘’one man’s rubbish
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is another man’s treasure’’ and letting them know that there are many people less fortunate than themselves. Upcycle This is something most kids will love to do. Turning something old into something new gets their creative minds going and allows them the freedom to express themselves. Upcycling will give them hours of fun and they will be so proud of their new creations. Recycle Another topic we’ve touched on in this issue is recycling. Be sure to read the Wasteplan editorial (pg 12) which will give you some insight into recycling with them. The benefits thereof are self-explanatory and it’s the way of the future – our kids are learning to recycle at school as well as at home. Sign up for volunteering If your kids are old enough, then find a local charity where you could spend a couple of hours each month helping out. The local SPCA is always in need of willing kids – even if it’s just to take the dogs for a walk. Start a rainwater collection Get your kids to put some buckets out in the garden so that when it rains, the captured water can be used to water the garden at a later stage. You could also redirect a gutter
to your pool and the kids will see the pool fill up once it rains. Teaching them water conservation is important as our lack of rain means that we need to instil better water usage habits and the earlier, the better. Make compost Find a place your garden where a compost heap will be suitable and educate your kids on what sorts of foods can be added to it. This idea is two-fold as whilst teaching the kids about what food waste can be used to make compost, you can then later use it in your garden and they will learn about all its benefits. There are many other ways to encourage sustainable living from an early age. As your kids become more aware and take more interest, so your list of sustainable living will grow…
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KIDS SuDoKu
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Colouring in
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WH | GARDENS
HOME GROWN
There is nothing more envious than a thriving home grown vegetable garden. Not only is it a sustainable way to lower your carbon footprint, it can also save you money and be very rewarding. But where to start? The first factor to take into consideration is the amount of space you have available. If your space is limited, it might be better to grow a few herbs or greens for salads in containers on your patio or balcony. The best spot for a garden would be in an area where there is at least six hours of sun during the day, preferably North-facing. Make a list of the veggies that you most often use and would like to grow. If you have a big enough space to plant a few different veggies, then try to visualise the space by planning your garden on paper before starting to plant. There is no real best time to start a veggie garden as it’s an all-year round undertaking. Most seeds will take six to 12 weeks to
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germinate so ask your local nursery to give you some direction on when best to plant them and how long it will take before you see results. If you are going to start your garden from seeds, then first plant them into empty egg cartons or toilet roll holders so that you can directly plant the entire container without having to remove the seedling when it’s ready to be planted in the garden. Fill the container with soil, place your seeds into it and cover with a thin layer of soil and water. Make sure that the soil is always moist as watering seeds is important, then place them in a spot with plenty of sunlight and patiently wait for them to grow. Next, prepare the soil in your garden. Veggies like fertile, well-drained soil so begin by mixing compost, kraal manure and bone meal in a 2:3:2 ratio into the soil to a depth of 30cm. You could also add organic matter such as dry leaves or grass clippings to help enrich the soil. Once done, replace the soil and add a thick layer of compost. Now you are ready for planting. Be careful when taking this step as plants do not like their roots exposed to air. If the plant is root-bound, in which case you will need to loosen the roots
a little, make sure you don’t disturb the roots too much. Companion planting is a great method for veggie gardens as growing different plants together can be mutually beneficial. Good companion plants don’t compete for root space, light nor necessary nutrients. An added benefit is that pest management is easier as pets usually attack only one species of plant so when you make use of companion planting, they find it harder to wipe out your entire crop. Herbs are good companion plants as their aroma, shape and sometimes bitter taste help disguise the target plant. Once planted, your veggies need to be watered regularly – at least 3 times a week for about 25 minutes if there has been no rain. If you see the plants wilting quickly, you will need to water more often. The soil should always be damp to the touch. It might be a good idea to spread some mulch around your plants as this helps keep the moisture from evaporating. Growing your own veggie garden is a labour of love and patience. Keep going as once your first crop is ready for you to eat, it will all be worth it. Hopefully you will get to enjoy the ‘fruits’ of your labour within no time.
Summer crops include: beans, beetroot, swiss chard, sweet corn, herbs, sweet peppers, summer squash and tomatoes.
Companion plant list • • •
Beetroot alongside cabbage, carrots, lettuce, parsley and tomatoes. Beans thrive next to eggplant and potatoes. Carrots grow well when surrounded by beetroot, cabbage, lettuce, onion, chives, parsley, rosemary, spring onions and tomatoes.
Try to avoid planting beans, chives, fennel, garlic, onion and spring onion together as they do not do well.
Did you know? • • • • • • •
Fennel repels flies and fleas. Thyme and dill repel cabbage moth. Rosemary repels leafhoppers, aphids and caterpillars. Mint is vulnerable to caterpillar attacks but repels many other insects. Wormwood repels fruit fly. Tarragon helps repel snails. Garlic repels many insects.
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WH | APPROVED ESTATE AGENTS
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LEASED BY
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r e h c s i F Narina 082 456 6051
narina@allestates.co.za Specialising in Woodhill and Surrounding Estates
21 years
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of Realtor Experience
19 years with
Jowic