The recent spring tide which saw huge waves damaging coastal areas along the Western Cape and parts of the Southern Cape and Eastern Cape could have had a similar effect at Table View Beach but was avoided due to the dune rehabilitation.
This was the information shared by Sameeg Hendricks, head of coastal engineering and optimisation – coastal infrastructure management at the City of Cape Town at a Subcouncil 3 meeting held in Milnerton last week. Hendricks presented a project overview and gave an update of the Table View beachfront refurbishment and upgrade project.
Dunes rehabilitated
The beachfront is currently undergoing an upgrade and dune rehabilitation is also in progress to stabilise the area.
“The Table View Beach area has deteriorated over the past few years, due to a few reasons. This project is dedicated to uplifting that space,” says Hendricks.
One of the reasons for the project is to create a sustainable beach front for future generations.
“With this project being established we will be including local economy; it will also incorporate job creation in maintenance going forward.”
He said the rehabilitating of the dunes will be to assist in protecting the coast. “This is a softer approach, and it helps quite a lot. It is helpful such as in the case of the severe storms that we experienced recently. Table View Beach was not impacted that hard due to the soft approach,” he says.
The rehabilitation involves the vegetation on dunes being planted and rehabilitation of the dunes is nearly at an end. Once the contractor, Vula Environmental Services, moves off the site, the City will take over the maintenance of the dunes. The dune implementation will run until end 2024.
Amenities also upgraded
Still to be done include the upgrading and repairing of the existing and derelict infrastructure. This includes the upgrading of the amenities itself, he says. This will involve the development of an integrated maintenance plan to ensure that the beachfront area does not reach the current state again.
Among the upgrades are new paving, fencing, a stormwater system which will help with irrigating the vegetation and signalised pedestrian crossings.
“Currently the people are walking in the parking area,” he says.
There will also be access to the seaside, associated ablution facilities and rearranging the parking area and additional parking areas near the fast-food restaurants. A new tourism office is also on the cards. The civil infrastructure starts this month, says Hendricks.
“There are just some contractual things we need to sort out.”
Some of the factors considered in the project are the popular Red Bull King of the Air, the kite surfing season itself, parking for visitors during the peak season while construction is ongoing, and the movement of pedestrians in the space that they will be working in, he says.
“We will make sure that there are areas to move for the civilians and accommodate the informal beach traders. On days that we will be working in the area they will either shift up or shift down. We will discuss this with them.”
Hendricks says the project may not be as invasive as people may have thought. “The public have been notified in a media statement regarding the start of the project this month.”
Joy Solomon, Ward 113 councillor, says she is happy to see the dunes are being stabilised. “The area will be a welcoming space for people to photograph. There should be a yellow frame in the area as well. Everybody comes from around the world to photograph Table Mountain.”
Anthony Benadie, Ward 4 councillor, says the City should also prioritise Sunset Beach in Milnerton. “Why is Sunset Beach not receiving the same attention? We have a Milnerton upgrade to the left and Table View beach to the right, but nothing at Sunset Beach.”
He requested that Sunset Beach get the same attention before it deteriorates further, and more work needs to be done when the area eventually does receive attention.
The refurbishment and upgrades at Table View beachfront stretches from Dolphin Beach to Beach Boulevard.
