The City of Cape Town said it’s reached the halfway mark with its major project to rehabilitate, revitalise and maintain one of the Mother City’s prime tourist attractions along the Atlantic coastline – the Table View beachfront.
The upgrade covers a three-kilometre stretch of coastline from Dolphin Beach in the south to Bokkomsbaai in the north.
Also read: Kloof Road closed for major repairs over next two years
According to the City, the rehabilitation of the dune system is making good progress, and in the upcoming week, the City’s Coastal Management branch will commence with the construction of the new walkway along the coast, reconfiguration of the parking areas, new ablution facilities, and the repair of aged stormwater infrastructure.
Construction is set to commence on Monday, 22 January and is expected to be ongoing for approximately two years with completion set for June 2025.
‘Table View beach gives us an iconic view of Table Mountain in the distance, it is a favourite kite-surfing spot and is extremely popular among locals and visitors,’ said City’s Deputy Mayor and MMC for Spatial Planning and Environment Eddie Andrews.
‘We commenced with the implementation of this major upgrade project in June last year with our first focus being the rehabilitation of the dune system which is now well under way. Next are the improvements to the public amenities and coastal facilities for the thousands of visitors who flock to this pristine destination every year.’
Andrews explained that the City’s contractor will begin setting up their site camp as of Monday, to conduct prep work for the construction of the new walkway, which will run along the coastline from Bokkomsbaai to Marine Circle.
‘Walkways are extremely popular as they allow for recreational activities along the coast. It is used by people of all ages, be it for walking or running, and is a great way of connecting with the outdoors in a safe environment, away from traffic,’ explained Andrews.
He added that although the public will still have access to the beach at all times, the work will cause some inconvenience as construction areas will be closed off.
The project will be done in phases to minimise the impact on residents.
‘The public is reminded to keep dogs on a lead, to adhere to the signage on site and only access the beach via designated access pathways,’ Andrews concluded.
Details of the civil works:
Walkway
- The new walkway will be constructed along the coastline from Bokkomsbaai in the north to Marine Circle in the south
- The existing walkway from Marine Circle to Dolphin Beach will be restored
- The new walkway will cover a distance of two kilometres, and the section to be restored is approximately one kilometre long
- Once done, visitors will be able to walk safely along the Table View coast without needing to meander through parking areas
Ablution facilities
- One new ablution will be constructed between Shell and Seal Roads
- The old tourism office will be renovated to accommodate a second ablution south of Marine Circle
- The existing ablutions will be refurbished
Parking areas:
- All parking areas, sidewalks and sections of Beach Boulevard will be impacted by the work, but visitors will always have access to the beach
- The work will be done in phases
- The City will restore existing parking areas and reconfigure the parking next to the coast to accommodate the new walkway
- A new parking area will be created opposite Visagie Street to supplement parking bays that will have to make way for the new walkway; and parking bays will be added at Bokkomsbaai
- New parking will be provided within a reasonable radius to popular areas where the demand for parking is high
Stormwater infrastructure
- Existing stormwater infrastructure will be repaired and replaced where needed
- Sections of the beach will be impacted, but the work will be done in phases
Also read:
Mayor Hill-Lewis encourages the US to increase investment in Cape Town
Picture: City of Cape Town / Facebook