Sub-council hears proposal for R50 million walkway in Bantry Bay
In the 26-page report by KZR, a civil engineering consulting company, the estimated cost of this project is R50 million.
However, the City of Cape Town’s deputy mayor and mayoral committee member for spatial planning and environment, Eddie Andrews, says no decision was made to commence with this project.
“The City’s Coastal Management Department conducted an investigation and costing exercise for the walkway following an initial report done in 2011. This was in response to a follow-up request. The department thereafter advised that this project is not budgeted for and is not a priority at this time,” Mr Andrews said.
According to the KZR report, the concept of a coastal walkway was first investigated along with a preliminary costing in 2011.
Ward 54 councillor, Nicola Jowell, reiterates that the walkway project is in a conceptual stage and that no budget is allocated to this venture.
“Like the Boomslang in Kirstenbosch or coastal towns with cliff path walkways this could form part of a whole new value offering for Cape Town, residents and tourists. But the costs versus the economic benefit would be part of any further assessment of the proposal,” Ms Jowell said.
The Atlantic Sun noted the below safety and security deductions of the report.
The security assessment has determined that it is possible to create a walkway that can be safely used and enjoyed without fear of crime by the community and visitors to Cape Town.
The assessment has determined that a public walkway and the resultant public access to the area can significantly reduce the levels of informal human settlement in the Bantry Bay caves.
SAPS have reported that they have no evidence of any criminal impact caused by the informal human settlement in the Bantry Bay caves. It is therefore concluded that the cave dwellers are not responsible for suburban crime in the area.
A walkway designed using Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles focusing on designing the environment to reduce the opportunity for, and fear of crime, can prevent the walkway itself from becoming a crime opportunity.
The success of the walkway is fully dependant on community participation and the regular and consistent use of the walkway for its intended purpose.
There is a proposed timeline that says the design and approval phases of the project could take between 12 and 18 months to complete, depending on the scope of specialist studies and environmental and heritage approval requirements.
It is estimated that the implementation or construction phase of the project can be undertaken in six to eight months.
The anticipated timeline for the City’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) department to appoint a consultant and a contractor for a project of this nature is currently 10 to 12 months per months contract.
The report concludes that the total implementation time-frame for a project of this nature is estimated to be 40 to 48 months.
