BRA demands an EIA for the Van Riebeeck Park project
Currently there is no official access road to the site and no council budget.
The Bluff Ratepayers’ Association (BRA) called for an environmental impact study to be undertaken with specific reference to security, access and maintenance funding concerning the proposed development of a bird watching venue in Van Riebeeck Park.
This request was made at a site meeting held on Thursday, 11 February, in Van Riebeeck Park attended by officials from the environment unit, ward councillor Zoë Solomon and representatives of the BRA.
According to Duncan du Bois BRA chairperson, Ivor Aylward, and Jason Johnson argued strongly that besides the environmental need to establish the extent of drainage in the 3,5 hectare area, there had to be provision made for accessing the area, providing security to the public and clarity on funding for its maintenance. Currently there is no official access road to the site and no council budget.
Du Bois questioned the need for a proposed bird watching venue, citing the existence of Happy Valley Nature Reserve.
“Given the deteriorating position of the metro’s finances, which are about to be further burdened by the addition of the insolvent Ushaka Marine World, it had to be realistically appreciated that fringe projects like a bird watching venue with its attendant logistical costs were hardly a budget priority,” said Du Bois.
Since December 2018, BRA has strongly condemned what it calls the environmental rape of the 3,5 hectare site which saw tons of unwanted clay from the Clairwood Race Course dumped there resulting in the destruction of the existing ecosystem. Du Bois questioned the logic of that in order to relocate the water lilies from the former race course.
The BRA also condemned the shoddy state of the board walk which was salvaged from the Cuttings Beach area. Concerning the way forward, he called for transparency and accountability.
