Phase one of a riverbank stabilisation project taking place in Parkhurst and Craighall is almost complete following nine months of work.
The project, which began in September last year, was necessary to ensure that the banks of the Braamfontein Spruit were not further eroded by rains.
Tim Truluck, the ward councillor for Ward 117, said the project was necessary to provide stabilisation in areas where there was not any. Some of the sections of the river which are being addressed are in Delta Park, the bottom of 6th Avenue in Parkhurst and on 3rd Street in Parkhurst.
Owls can continue to enjoy the safe haven on Gleneagles Road
The stabilisation of the river banks essentially involves the stacking of rocks in wire mesh at the sides of the river to ensure that the banks of the river are not eroded when there are heavy rains.
Truluck said a camp had been set up in Delta Park as this was where the majority of the work was taking place. “That is where they were doing the biggest section, there was about 40m of the river where it was really eroding,” he said.
Edward Dupper, a civil engineer for SRK Consulting which has been working on the project, said they were hired to determine which areas were most in need of stabilisation.
Rocks are secured in wire mesh to ensure that the bank of the river is not eroded following heavy rains.
He said, “We did a one in 50-year plan to see which areas would be most affected by heavy rains.” He added that the criteria used to determine which areas needed stabilisation mostly focused on whether there would be a loss of life, loss of property and negative effects on the environment and ecology if the banks of the river were to burst.
Truluck added, ” I was very happy with the results, there were no complaints and most of the comments I received were very supportive.”
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