City revives Alkantstrand revamp
R10.5-million beach upgrade and expansion project to accommodate influx of visitors
AFTER bringing the Alkantstrand Precinct development to an abrupt halt two years ago to address the coastal erosion crisis, the uMhlathuze Municipality is once again back on track to expand and beautify Richards Bay’s main beach.
The R10.5-million project, funded by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), entails the landscaping and grassing at Newark Beach, creating cobble stone walkways, wooden decks for the entire precinct and installing new picnic and playground facilities.
City Communications Manager Mdu Ncalane said the development is crucial to better accommodate the vast number of visitors flocking to Alkantstrand during summer holidays.
‘The beach currently provides limited recreational and tourism activities, and approximately 150 000 beachgoers descend on Alkantstrand during peak holiday periods.
‘The existing recreational area is therefore constrained in terms of the volumes of people that can be accommodated.
‘Congestion also poses huge strain on the city’s disaster management department and other services rendered by the municipality.
‘The expansion of the Alkantstrand node, in terms of acquiring adjacent land, is therefore a logical option.’
The estimated size of the current Alkanstrand area, including the parking bays, is 2.6 hectares.
After completing the project to include the Newark Beach node, an additional 4 hectares of recreational space will be added to the Richards Bay beachfront.
So far, the upgrade work has created 33 jobs and the municipality has moved from phase 1, comprising minor earthworks, clearing and felling of Casuarina trees and landscape work, to phase 2 which involves the installation of facilities.
Pushed to pause
Ncalane explained the development was stopped during phase 1 for the city to focus on saving Alkantstrand when spring tides wreaked havoc on the beach in 2015.
‘It had to be our first priority and the municipality then embarked on the geobag project to safeguard the beach.
‘Also, we had to ensure that we comply with the EIA that was received for the project by appointing and independent Environmental Control Officer (ECO).’
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