 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The City of Cape Town, together with other key role players, will undertake the reshaping of an artificial dune system at Big Bay Beach to make the space safe for visitors. The work is being done in preparation for the upcoming peak summer season. A portion of Big Bay Beach will be closed to the public from 13 to 17 September 2016 while heavy machinery will be operating in the area. Read more below:
The City’s Sport, Recreation and Amenities Department, together with Transport for Cape Town, the Solid Waste Management Department and the Environmental Resource Management Department, and in partnership with the Big Bay Master Property Owners Association, will undertake various components of the dune reshaping work on Big Bay Beach.
The level of Big Bay Beach has dropped significantly due to a number of storm surge incidents in recent months. This has caused the dune system to become increasingly eroded and an extensive portion of the frontal dune cordon was lost. The remaining dune was left with a steep cliff-face abutting the beach with bollards and rubble strewn along the beach and embedded in the cliff. The frontal dune now poses a safety hazard to visitors of the beach and the dune reshaping intervention will therefore address this hazard. The project would not have been possible were it not for the necessary environmental authorisation being in place and the heartening collaboration of all parties involved.The reshaping project will be undertaken within a narrow 4 m belt of the frontal dune on the seaward side. It will affect an approximately 250 m section of dune between the northern-most and southern-most wooden staircase on the beachfront and seaward of the Eden on the Bay development. This section of the beach will be closed for the duration of the work.
Heavy machinery such as an excavator and front-end loader will be used for this work. In addition, large trucks will transport the rubble from the site. Once the reshaping operations are completed, the frontal dune will be re-vegetated and the fencing will be reinstated to conserve the rehabilitation efforts. The City also intends undertaking repairs to the end of the broken boat-launch ramp in order for emergency services to access the beach in the coming peak season. The date for this work is yet to be determined.
‘In the interest of public safety, residents and visitors to the area are advised to please keep away from the cordoned off area. We anticipate that the work will be completed within the allocated period of five days. Should there be a delay for any unforeseen circumstances, members of the public will be advised accordingly. The City would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank residents for their patience,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services, Councillor Anda Ntsodo.
Leave a Reply