New cableway proposed for Cape Town

Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) is investigating a range of proposals including building a cableway or funicular up Signal Hill with a stopover at the Lion Battery where the noon day gun is fired.

A feasibility and risk assessment study is being undertaken to investigate the viability of the new cableway, which will be accessed via the Strand Street quarry and shuttle services would be used to transport visitors to the lower cableway station.

This is one of the proposals contained in Table Mountain National Park's draft management plan for the next 10 years with the deadline for public comment set for tomorrow.

The idea is to reduce pressure on the congested Kloof Nek-Tafelberg Road area where currently about 1.2 million visitors a year converge at this point to access the roads to the cableway and Signal Hill.

"Potential opportunities include restaurants, trading and picnicking with the emphasis on a people friendly, pedestrianised and landscaped area," the plan says.

Table Mountain National Park manager Paddy Gordon said Signal Hill was "screaming out for development".

But he conceded that it would be a challenging task to build what the plan refers to as a "mechanical people mover" linking the city to Signal Hill.

Gordon said while there was huge support for the idea, there would be several implications in terms of visual impact, fire fighting and the movement of animals.

Also on the cards is the upgrade of the Groote Schuur Zoo site, originally established as Cecil John Rhodes's private zoo which housed lions, emus, crocodiles and tahr until its closure in 1975.

The idea is to explore using it as a "gateway" to Groote Schuur estate and the park itself.

"The old zoo site lends itself to a private public partnership approach for the re-use, restoration and the development for uses such as a restaurant, educational purposes, open-air events, organic markets etc. with the ornamental landscape and mosaic pathways reinstated to offer passive recreational activities to park visitors and UCT students."

The plan also looks at the possibility of creating "marine gateways to the southern oceans" by linking "the terrestrial environment with that of the ocean".

Gordon said this would involve co-managing slipways for example with the city and other authorities to better manage those areas. Merle Collins, spokeswoman for the park said: "We cannot be more specific at this stage as the proposal will be subject to a more detailed study to identify the appropriate sites and facilities."

There are also plans to upgrade Boulders Beach which receives around 650 000 visitors annually. The number is growing by 5.3 percent a year which has prompted a redesign and upgrade of the visitor centre. Boardwalks, parking areas and interpretive information will also be upgraded.

The Cape Point road is also likely to be upgraded to cope with the heavily loaded coach tours as well as the main gate area to alleviate congestion during peak times.

Visitor facilities, new tourism opportunities and an upgrade of picnic and braai areas are on the cards.

The vision for the Tokai Manor Precinct is to develop it into a vibrant multi-purpose "gateway"to the Park with a focus on multi- use ecotourism development and recreational use of the area.

The park receives four million visits a year, making it the most visited national park in the country, and is one of five out of 20 parks managed by SANParks that makes a profit. The other four are the Addo Elephant National Park, Augrabies Falls National Park, Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and Kruger National Park.

It is mostly open access with only four pay points - Cape of Good Hope, Boulders, Silvermine and Oudekraal.

Some of the new challenges which needed to be addressed, according to the management plan, were night time recreational activities; new user groups using the park such as religious groups; safety and security issues and new tourism opportunities.

Gordon said that for most people who commented on the draft plan, access was a big issue and having to pay for permits for activities such as dog walking, cycling and climbing.

Geraldine Goncalves of the Friends of the Dog Walkers, who was involved in formulating the first environmental management plan for dogs in the park, said they had sent a submission requesting clarification on permits. She pointed out that signage at certain entry points advising of requirements for permits did not specify where or how to get these permits.

Brian Lambourne, chairman of the Mountain Club of SA, Cape Town Section, said they would be making a submission to SANParks dealing mainly with the issue of activity permits as they pertain to climbing and the security situation.

Visit http://www.sanparks. org/conservation/park_man/ for the full plan.

Source: Cape Argus