The Trustees have appointed Elite Painting Contractors to renovate the exterior of Arnhem. Elite previously painted our palisade fence, entrance portico and the laundry area. Their field of expertise include structural repairs.

The renovation will start on the 9th August 2021, for completion by the 30th November 2021; before we enter the windy season. Project updates will be made available via the Arnhem website www.arnhem.co.za. A detailed project plan will be posted to the website as soon as it is finalised.

The project will be independently managed by THC. As independent managers, they will inspect and verify the workmanship, paint quality and monitor the prescribed application process. In addition, they will oversee any structural issues that are discovered.

From a Health & Safety standpoint, specifically relating to Covid-19, Elite will put a number of controls in place.

1. The onsite workforce will not have use of our lifts, or foyer for the duration of the contract.
2. Paint storage and the tea area for the team will be located away from the building. Elite will provide a separate shed for this.
3. Cradle and rope access will be used for the exterior work. The cradles will provide roof access via the exterior of the building.
4. Elite have a strict Covid-19 workforce monitoring program in place, as per the government requirements.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Trustees via the managing agent, or via our website.

City of Cape Town still ignores Dieprivier stink

“New evidence uncovered by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse’s independent testing of water in the Dieprivier system raises more questions about the City of Cape Town’s competence in managing effluent discharge at Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW).

“What is very concerning, and borders on criminal, is that water samples taken during our independent water testing at Potsdam WWTW on 18 November show an E Coli level of 8.4 million parts per 100ml, which is extremely high.”

>>  Link to the full OUTA article here on the Milnerton Lagoon.
>>  Link to the Milnerton Lagoon Water quality analysis.

We started the new year with six trustees. Unfortunately three have resigned, two due to work-related issues and one for personal reasons – being a trustee is a voluntary service and it can require a lot of extra work, including after-hours responsibilities.

A number of challenges were set for this year. An update on progress made:

1. Revarnishing the garage doors.

This is now underway.

2. Redecorating the entrance foyer.

The aim is to make it both aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly by reducing the impact of the summer winds – many residents have difficulty in pushing open the aluminium hinged door before operating the sliding door. The external walkway into the foyer (security cage) will remain but we have approached an interior designer who has submitted her ideas, which we are considering.

In addition, we have requested a contractor to conduct a test on a sample panel of the marble walls to see if we can breathe a bit of life back into it. The contractor has also advised that the external passages could be restored by mechanically grinding the existing tiles. The reason we are considering this approach is due to “cost and the inconvenience” to occupiers if we were to chop up the passage tiles to lay new ones. At the moment this is all in the consultation and planning stage. Once the extent of the redecoration is agreed, we will further advise you of the way forward.

3. Security camera upgrade. This is underway.

As we all know, living in a flat means that our neighbours are in close proximity and it requires us all to be considerate of each other. Each of us should be familiar with the Arnhem House Rules, which are given to each occupier upon their occupation or purchase.

NOISE:
This is one of the complaints occupiers often have – please be aware of noise levels that could be affecting your neighbours above, below and next-door. If you leave your doors and windows open and have loud music playing, you are not abiding by the House Rules. Likewise, going out into the passages to have a cell phone conversation can be extremely annoying to other occupiers.

SMOKING/VAPING:
Other than in the garden area or inside your flat, this is not allowed in any public space within the building (passages, stairwells, foyer, the lifts) or outside the entrances to the building. No Smoking signs have been put up to this effect – please abide by this: it is not only a House Rule but also the law.

MOVING FURNITURE:
Please inform Ken in 1402 in advance so that the blankets can be put up in the service lift (that’s the larger of the two lifts) to protect our new lifts from scratches and other damage.

CONTRACTORS’ HOURS:
Please remember that there are set hours when contractors can work in the building. If you are not sure, please ask Ken (1402).

ALTERATIONS:
If you are considering any alteration work to your unit, the trustees need to be informed and the process will be explained to you.

PARKING:
It is still an issue that some occupiers are parking for long periods of time on the visitors’ parking bays. If you have a garage, you must use it to park your vehicle, not as storage space. If you have more than one car, use the off-street parking. If you have an empty garage, there are people wishing to rent it – please let Ken know.

FIRE SAFETY:
An email has been sent to owners regarding equipping their units with a smoke alarm, fire blanket and fire extinguisher. In the winter months, we all need to be aware of safety around using candles and heaters, especially. Further fire safety practices for the building are being considered and will be communicated. If any occupiers are willing to be fire marshalls (each floor needs at least one) please contact Michelle (304).

Regards,
The Arnhem Trustees

After much deliberation and firm debate, the trustees feel that the best fit for Arnhem is CyberSmart.

Key points that formed the basis for our decision:

1. Availability of their service in our area – based on them working with Woodbridge Island.
2. Single point of contact for the fibre issues and ISP connectivity. They are both ISP and infrastructure providers.
3. Their fibre product seems good.
4. Clarity explaining how the DSTV system works on their fibre network.
5. A certain level of flexibility in choosing alternative ISP

Moving forward, the fibre landscape is constantly changing and it’s important that we are able to provide all options to residents in the future. It is expected that certain Arnhem residents may prefer to use an internet provider that is not Cybersmart or one of its partner ISP. This is a common issue, no matter which company we choose.

It is therefore important that we do not enter into any exclusive infrastructure agreements with Cybersmart or any other provider, so we can retain a high level of flexibility. This will allow us to install additional infrastructure into Arnhem in the future – if the need arises.