There is light at the end of the tunnel for the relocation of the Bez Valley World War I Memorial.
Also read: New PR councillor steps up for wards 65 and 123
The EXPRESS reported in June that the City of Joburg announced the relocation of the memorial.
The memorial commemorates 63 Bez Valley residents who were killed between 1914 to 1918.
Brendan Hart, principal architect and heritage practitioner from Mayat Hart Architects & Heritage Consultants, at the time said they were still waiting for approval for the work from heritage stakeholders for the project to move forward.
Hart said the project is at the advanced stage as all the necessary approvals have been granted.
“We have full heritage approval for the project as well as support from the city, local residents and the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation. The work and skills for the actual moving of the memorial will be covered by Barrow Construction. We are waiting for their skilled stone mason to be available and then the deconstruction and moving of the memorial will start,” said Hart.
“It’s difficult to say when the project of relocating the memorial and construction of the new site will start. There are always many unknowns when working with heritage buildings and heritage structures. I would estimate six weeks, but we will need to see how it goes but no specific date has been set,” said Hart.
The project has taken a save and restore approach.
The existing memorial will be deconstructed and moved to its new location at Bez Valley Park.
The memorial will be reconstructed at the new site.
The stone wall will be rebuilt and the memorial stone will be repaired and restored using the Japanese concept of Kintsugi.
A plaque will be added telling the history of the memorial.
Hart said even though the war memorial will be relocating, it does not mean the current park it’s in will be forgotten and neglected after the relocation.
“After the memorial has been relocated, we will also be doing some remedial work at the old park.
“We will be cleaning up and doing a new memorial wall at the park as part of the upliftment of the area through the moving of the old memorial,” said Hart.
