February 2, 2005
By Lucille Davie
RESIDENTS need not worry about noise from the new Moyo Restaurant at Zoo Lake, co-owner Phillip Ostrin told a public meeting on Monday night, where the restaurant plans were made available for viewing.
The new restaurant opened in December on the premises of the former Leaves Restaurant, but work continues on upgrading and expanding the facilities.
The main front room from which the deck will be constructed, with the view of the lake
Ostrin, who hosted the public meeting on the Moyo premises to respond to complaints about noise, said that ambient noise levels were to be monitored and management had every intention of staying within those levels. "The council will act if we go above the legal limit," he added.
Ostrin said they had a marimba band playing at the restaurant for a function, and received complaints. "We had music here and had one or two complaints - we will address them seriously," he said.
Ostrin stressed that the restaurant was not going to operate at night, a time when noise levels were likely to rise. The restaurant would open from 7am to 7pm, playing background music in keeping with its African theme.
Wooden deck near the water
Another concern was the intrusion of a wooden deck to bring diners closer to the water, with its ducks and evening sunsets. It is to protrude 11m from the restaurant wall, and stretch 20m across - an area of 200m² - and will only be used for dining, not as a stage or platform for live music, another worry of residents.
Teresa Frank, an architect at Gapp Architects and Urban Designers, the firm employed by Moyo, stressed that no trees or plants will be removed to make way for the deck.
"The idea behind the deck is to bring the whole experience closer to the water, which is a big deal in Johannesburg," Frank added. She said that it was not going to be a major intervention but would rather enhance the plants and bring enjoyment of the water closer to the diners.
Frank also said that Moyo was going to add value to the immediate site by catering for the disabled and allowing for fire protection, both of which had not existed at the restaurant previously.
Moyo has signed a 20-year lease with the City, which owns and controls the restaurant building - an indication of management's confidence in the project. The lease is made up of a 10-year initial period, with an option to renew the lease for a further 10 years.
Not enough parking for residents
Parking was an issue that concerned some residents, with one saying that on Sundays the 79-bay parking area alongside the restaurant was normally full, without the addition of the extra Moyo customers.
Frank said Moyo is within the legal limits of six bays for every 100m² of restaurant space. This, of course, assumes that only Moyo customers use the parking area, which is not the case - hundreds of Zoo Lake users park and stroll or picnic at the lake on the weekends.
While some people objected to everything from the annual Jazz on the Lake concert and Parkview's supposedly dirty streets, to the "colonisation of Zoo Lake by Moyo", many residents were supportive of the project, describing it as "a fantastic initiative" and "the best thing".
One said: "It is awesome to see how many people are coming out to enjoy Moyo. I used to sit at Leaves by myself." A quick poll towards the end of the meeting produced 25 votes in favour of Moyo and six against.
Restaurants on site for 60 years
The Zoo Lake has had a restaurant on the site for over 60 years, with tenants usually taking a four to five year lease. The previous restaurant, Leaves, closed about a year ago and the building has been vandalised several times since.
The Leaves owner had approached several restaurateurs to take over the lease, according to Lucy Taylor, co-ordinator of Zoo Lake Users' Committee. About eight months ago he approached Moyo and they jumped at the opportunity.
Moyo opened in Melrose Arch in early 2002 as a five-storey restaurant, serving African cuisine. The foyer of the Market Theatre in Newtown was converted in mid-2003 to accommodate a second restaurant, echoing the distinctive décor of the first.
Once plans for the Zoo Lake restaurant were approved, Moyo opened in December as an outdoor-only restaurant, while renovations to the building - a mishmash of additions in different architectural styles - continue inside.
Jason Lurie, co-owner of Moyo, said the restaurant would be more than just a place to eat food. "In keeping with what people do in parks all over the world, we will be offering cooking courses, wine tasting and children's programmes - a complete learning programme."
The children's programmes will consist of movement, art, drumming and story-telling, allowing parents to enjoy a wine tasting afternoon while their children are safely occupied doing something educational and fun.
He expects the complete restaurant to open in September or October this year.
Permission to use web site material
Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as:
- Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website
(www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency
(www.joburg.org.za)";
- If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original
article on this website;
- The name of the article's author is acknowledged;
-
The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill
in this brief online form).
Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 |
