Causeway just about finished being repaired in Delta Park
A four-week project has finished and the causeway in Delta Park is looking much better, 15 years after the last time repairs were done.
Volunteers have just about finished repairing the causeway in Delta Park 15 years after the last time work was done on it.
Located in a muddy area next to the pedestrian gate by Bantam Drive, it was evident the causeway needed to be raised.
The work was spearheaded by Shirley Tebbutt, park warden at Delta Park long-time leader of its users group and author of its online newsletter.
She said sourcing and storing the panels used in the causeway was also a group effort and could not have been done without the help of a kind contractor, resident Michael Moore, Warren Metzer from the Blairgowrie Community Association, and the workers who helped Shirley with anything needing to be done in the park, Enter Ngwenya and Volcar Mbugeleni.
“Michael and Enter thought of a ‘bridge’ of four walling slats put together in an upside-down V shape over the stream. The trench under them was widened and deepened. We needed a layer of soil to raise the height of the path. Michael has a big pile of soil on his pavement and wants to reduce its size. So many wheelbarrows of soil were moved.”
Yet more soil needed to be sourced and transported to the site.
“Before the panels could be laid, sand and cement were needed – two cubic meters of river sand and four bags of cement were delivered – which came to R2000. At last, it was time to start laying the panels.”
Cement was placed in between the panels to strengthen the path longer and more robust. An additional 18 panels had to be sourced and laid.
Four weeks after work began, the causeway is functional and looking good.
Tebbutt said what remains to be done is to create channels on either side of the path to allow rainwater to flow into the river.
“It had been a huge project and hard work for the two men, but I am delighted with the result, and I hope it keeps walkers feet dry for another 15 years,” she added.
“Thanks to everyone who supports the Delta Park Users Group by donating to the Hyacinth account. This is how the money is spent – and the men’s wages. Without these generous people, none of the work we do in the park could be done.”
Send an email to etebbutt@worldonline.co.za to receive the park users group online newsletter.
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