Street beautification sites selected for upgrade ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup are aimed at presenting the best face of Johannesburg to tourists visiting our City next year. So says Brent Herbert, Joint CEO of The ADreach Group - the outdoor media company responsible for implementation of the upgrades that have been completed at 25 sites across the City of Johannesburg.

The street upgrade initiative forms part of the City of Johannesburg’s Gateway Pole and Beautification Project. This public private partnership between ADreach and City Parks aims to welcome 2010 guests through Gateways that reflect a clean, successful 21st Century city.

Through installation of a new outdoor advertising medium called Supalites, the project has created World Cup promotion and commercial advertising opportunity; and has paid for infrastructural and aesthetic streetscape upgrades that bring Johannesburg’s streets in line with some of the best cities in the world.

“Numerous criteria were considered in the selection of the initial 25 sites,” explains Herbert. “Key locations with highest visibility and impact in terms of the World Cup were prioritised. Those on route to stadiums; training venues; tourist nodes; and the like have received precedence.”

In addition to World Cup considerations, practical issues such as water and electricity supply; and proximity of sites to roads also had to be carefully evaluated in partnership with each of the City’s relevant departments.

“It is a practical impossibility to immediately upgrade each and every location across the City, but this exciting initiative – for which the World Cup has been a catalyst - marks the start of improvements that will transform Joburg into a world-class City” concludes Herbert.

An additional 13 sites across Joburg have been approved for upgrade, and will be completed prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.