March 29, 2004
By Lebofsa Masha
CONTRACTORS are working round the clock to complete renovation of the southern wing of the Drill Hall complex by 1 April, when it is due to be handed over to the Johannesburg Child Welfare Society.
A constructive hive of activity, the Drill Hall site is reaching the final throes of completion, after heavy rains and equipment theft delayed an earlier deadline. Piles of tiles surround the pristine-looking walls of the southern wing, as workers busily lay paving in the outside square. Inside the noise is deafening, as grinders cut into walls and painters add finishing touches.
But however far from completion the Joubert Park development may look, project architect Michael Hart and site manager Jabu Phakathi are confident that the southern side of the building will be completed by the end of March. "The wing is already re-roofed," Hart said.
Work on the Drill Hall complex has been like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, which started with the restoration of the northern wing, which was handed over to the Rand Light Infantry on 1 November 2003.
The next piece, the southern wing, is to be used by the Johannesburg Child Welfare Society and will house a hair salon, sewing machines, amenities for cooking lessons and training facilities with computers.
After the southern wing has been handed over, Hart is optimistic that the final pieces of the jigsaw - the eastern and western wings - will be ready for occupation by the end of April. Arrangements are under way for the official opening of the entire complex in June and a variety of cultural activities are planned for the week leading up to the grand opening, he says.
The R10-million project is part of the City of Johannesburg's development initiatives to restore the inner city to a viable investment centre, and is managed by the Johannesburg Development Agency, set up to stimulate and support economic development initiatives.
While renovation is under way, Quartz Street, on the eastern side of the complex, has been closed to extend the use of the Drill Hall right up to the neighbouring Ster City building for art bays, designated areas where art works can be displayed.
In the centre of the complex are two rows of white plastered columns, the borders of the public square and the area that housed the original Drill Hall, which was built in 1904 as an army barracks and was the venue of the famous Treason Trial from 1956 to 1961. Wrought iron frames link the columns, on which the names of the 156 Treason Trialists, including Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu.
Once the square is paved, it will be used primarily for military parades and public events. Beneath the square is a rifle range, and the entrance to the range will serve as a podium for the public square. Two bright scarlet lights will be installed on either end of the rifle range and a military memorial wall, presently under black plastic, will add to the historical ambience.
Damaged by fire in 2002, concrete pillars and frames give support to the western wing, which is lined with scaffolding.
The original entrance of the structure has been retained as a public entrance, and though some ground floor offices have been removed to allow direct access to the public square, they are still in their original state.
A two-arched colonnade on top of the wing ensures the structure retains its original form. "This is significant, because the old structure will be translated into the new building," says Hart, who is intent on keeping history alive.
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