Margate tidal pool makes a splash
Ocean lovers will be delighted about the repairs to the pool.
AFTER being nonfunctional for almost two decades the Margate tidal pool has been restored to its former glory.
Royal HaskoningDHV, the same company which scooped an award for the Margate Fishing Pier Rehabilitation Project in 2011, recently undertook the massive project of refurbishing the once popular tidal pool.
This project, together with the beachfront’s walkway, is part of phase one of the Margate Urban Renewal Project, which is set to transform the face of the South Coast town and open business opportunities in the town centre.
The R1,8-million tidal pool project will uplift the south side of Margate beach and even create a new popular destination for visitors.
Johann Prinsloo, project manager from Royal HaskoningDHV, who carefully planned the successful project, said there are also plans to erect fancy tanning beds alongside the pool.
Mr Prinsloo explained that, due to the tides, the team had exactly five hours to pour the 150 cubic metres of concrete for the 22-metre square pool. The concrete was supplied by Kencrete Readymix Concrete, while Innovative Concrete Solutions was in charge of the overall operation.
Mr Prinsloo said a huge hole in the pool had to be plugged while the old slab was broken and removed before concrete was pumped more than 60 metres from the roadside. “We had to use special structural fibre concrete which didn’t have any steel as it would corrode,” he said.
Councillor George Henderson, who welcomed the completion of the pool, said they have been waiting for such a long time for this three-phase project to start. He said that they set up a steering committee three years ago and managed to get funds from Treasury, which realises the importance of tourism.
Cllr Henderson said Treasury gave them six million rand to implement phase one. “Treasury is currently monitoring the committee and its conduct and, if we are successful in completing phase one, it will give us R30-million for the next phases,” he said. The total cost of the project is R120-million.
The South Coast boasts a total of 28 tidal pools. Interestingly, many tidal pools were built after the notorious ‘Black December’ when at least nine shark attacks occurred along the coast in 1957 and 1958. The Margate tidal pool was also once used to host school galas.
