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PLANS for Cape Town's first "fan park" on Greenmarket Square have been indefinitely postponed, apparently due to "bad planning" by the City of Cape Town.

Initially planned for Saturday, 8 September for the soccer match between South Africa and Zambia at Newlands, the pilot fan park will instead take place at a later date, accor?ding to 2010 city spokesperson Pieter Cronjé.

"We first want to make sure that as many tickets as possible are sold for the [Newlands] live match. We will definitely focus on the fan parks at a later stage."

Cronjé admitted that the cancellation of the fan park for the upcoming September game was partly due to a lack of planning.

If all goes according to the city?s World Cup plans, sport fanatics unable to get tickets for 2010 matches will be able to watch the excitement unfold on a big screen in fan parks.

The city has proposed revamping Greenmarket Square in time for the anticipated tourism boom of 2010.

Ward councillor Belinda Walker says she is "in total favour" of the upgrading of the historic market.

"This has been on the cards for quite some time and it has huge potential. Greenmarket Square is at the heart of the city and 2010 gives us reason to improve it sooner rather than later."

JP Smith, chairperson of the Good Hope Subcouncil, agrees that there are big plans for the area. "We fully intend to do a good job in turning Greenmarket Square around. We are committed to upgrading, cleaning and shuffling its image."

He says this is the third project he will be involved with in Cape Town, the others being the station deck and the Grand Parade.

"There is so much more use for Greenmarket Square than just informal trading. We can even make it bigger by pedestrianising the surroundings of the square so it can be used for other things as well."

But implementing such plans may not come without a struggle. While controversial African Muslim Party councillor Badih Chabaan, currently the de facto controller of most of the square, agrees that the square is due for upgrading, he reiterates that there is still "a legal battle between myself and the city".

People's Post previously reported on the city claiming that Chabaan owes about R3,3 million in outstanding lease fees. However, he alleges that he has been overcharged by almost R2 million in rent, of which he is only willing to pay the difference. He declined to elaborate on the status of his ongoing battle with the city.

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