Housing in Southern Africa December 2015

Infrastructure & Mixed Use Revamp of Muizenberg’s historic mile

Muizenberg Park. A new wall and steps built with sandstone lead to the upper part of the park, where we have also created a paved walkway for those wanting to take a shorter route through the park towards the local police station and magistrates’ court,” said Herron. He added, “The 24-pound can- nons at the entrance to Muizenberg Park are now resting on sugar gum- wood replicas based on the original carriage designs. It is likely that these cannons – manufactured in Sweden in 1782 – were used in the Battle of Muizenberg on 7 th August 1795. Officials fromTCT arranged for the wood, fittings and manufacturing of the carriages with the assistance of the Cannon Association of South Af- rica and other concerned individuals from the local community. The two cannons are now a focal point at the entrance to the park.” The sidewalks along York Road have been widened and brick-paved to protect the columns of the historic buildings along this short one-way street. He pointed out, “York Road is a scenic andbusy pedestrian thorough- fare from the Main Road and Muizen- berg Park area to Surfer’s Corner on the beach. The red brick paving is a clear indication to other road users that they are entering a pedestrian priority area with wide sidewalks. By making the road narrower, we have also improved pedestrian safety as thismakes it difficult for road users to speed. I am confident that locals and visitors will take great joy and benefit from the redesign and revamping of the area.” ■

A part from rehabilitating Main Road, the City has refurbished walkways, parking areas and access routes to one of False Bay’s most popular beach havens. “The City has improved the roads and underground services, Transport for Cape Town, the City’s transport authority, often uses road rehabilita- tion projects as an opportunity for urban renewal and the enhance- ment of the general aesthetics of our residents’ living and working space.” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member: Transport for Cape Town, Brett Herron. The urban renewal in Muizenberg forms part of the City’s multi-million rand rehabilitation of Main Road, one of the Southern Peninsula’s most scenic access roads. The investment in the new road surface, retainingwall at Clovelly, and underground services The City of Cape Town has spent R40 million on revamping the historic mile area in Muizenberg in the Southern Peninsula.

amounts to approxi- mately R304 mil- lion over a three-year period.

The new road surface covers a dis- tance of approximately 4,5 km from the intersectionwith Atlantic Road in Muizenberg to the intersection with Clovelly Road just past Kalk Bay. Main Road in Muizenberg has undergone a metamorphosis, with a new road surface and overhead gan- try sign. The gantry has two signs, one of which is a directional sign and the other a warning sign indicating that Atlantic Road has a height restriction because of the railway bridge which crosses Atlantic Road overhead. The sidewalks along this stretch of Main Road, also called the ‘historical mile’, have been pavedwith red brick, where they meander under the col- onnades of historic buildings dating from the late 1890s. Miningmagnates travelled by train fromJohannesburg to the Muizenberg Station for the summer holidays. “We have extended themedian is- land at the crossing of York and Main Roads by approximately five metres to improve the safety of pedestri- ans crossing Main Road towards

December 2015