No longer will we have to utter the words, “you know the area where Beluga / Weylandts / Waterfront Studios and Waltons are?” Because from now on we can simply say “The Foundry.” That is the name that has been given to this neat little neighbourhood which falls within the greater Green Point suburb.

“The Foundry” and “Downtown” have joined Little Camissa and The Loop as names given to Cape Town’s unique neighbourhoods through the Name Your Hood initiative. On Wednesday, 14th September, the public voting process for the two new names concluded, and with it two democratically named neighbourhoods were delivered from Name Your Hood.

The Name Your Hood project aims to unearth creative and original names for unnamed neighbourhoods in the “City Bowl” through a dynamic and inclusive process. Participants are encouraged to explore the city’s distinctiveness, heritage, history and unique character and to then submit their own names for clearly-defined neighbourhoods.

The Name Your Hood initiative strives to capture each neighbourhood’s unique ethos and imagination – as the names are nominated and motivated by the public, and then decided by public vote. Following a two-week voting period, over 100 submissions and in the thousands of votes, The Foundry and Downtown were decided as the names for the first two neighbourhoods.

The first, The Foundry, submitted by Simon Hartley, is the name that garnered the most votes for the area bordered by: Somerset Road, Coen Steytler and Buitengracht – adjacent to de Waterkant. Home to many advertising agencies and design-orientated retail outlets, Simon explains the name as such, “The Foundry is a creative melting pot. Dotted with vibrant businesses and creative agencies, the district is a crucible of entrepreneurship and original thinking. Walking through the streets, one can feel the white-hot creative energy.” Other leading names for this neighbourhood were: Cape Malay Bay, Prestwich, Docklands and NoSo (North of Somerset).

Downtown meanwhile is the name given to the neighbourhood incorporating The Company Gardens, Parliament and Greenmarket Square.

The names are set to endure with valuable support being offered by key stakeholders such as Cape Town Tourism, Cape Town Partnership, Accelerate Cape Town and Wesgro. Local businesses are also showing their support, with Pam Golding Properties, Mr Delivery, Groupon and Vida e Caffe as well as smaller neighbourhood establishments on board.

Nic Lamond and Bruce Good, the people behind the campaign, are delighted with the names.

“The public has responded to the call for creative and historically relevant names. The motivations for each name feed off the unique history of each areas and we’re really pleased with the level of support for each.”

The Name Your Hood project aims to roll out across the entire city in time. Two new neighbourhoods are now open for submissions. Submissions can be made online or through a number of voting booths which will be available in participating shops throughout the city. So visit www.nameyourhood.co.za and make sure you submit your neighbourhood name.

DID YOU KNOW? On completion of the naming process and in partnership with Cape Town Tourism and Creative Cape Town, the project will see new tourist maps printed and distributed throughout the City to include the new neighbourhood names.

Click here to check out Name Your Hood and get involved

“We’ve got the suburbs – now we need neighbourhoods…”