Page 119 - KBHA Bulletin 16

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Elsewhere on Table Bay, in 1912, farmers and residents in the Blaauwberg district

petitioned for the construction of a pier or jetty on that side of Table Bay as it would
enable them (in the absence of an adequate road) to transport their produce to Cape Town

while also making the area attractive to up-country and overseas visitors. Council were
supportive and suggested that both the equipment being used on the Table Bay pier and

the services of Mr Piercy might be secured for the purpose. But the Government ministers
of Lands, Finance, and Public Works did not support the idea and it was still-born.

Instead, in 1912, the Woodstock Municipality erected a bathing pavilion on the beach.
(Figs. 3.29 & 3.30.) In November 1915, following municipal amalgamation in 1913, the

Council’s Improvements and Parks Committee (IPC) was instructed to advise on a

scheme for improving bathing and entertainment facilities for both Europeans and non-
Europeans (sic) of the Woodstock district. The recommendation was that a standard type

pavilion costing £400 be built at Woodstock, Sea Point and Kalk Bay. Presumably this
was to be for non-Europeans because consideration was being given at this time

(December 1915) to extensions to Woodstock’s existing European bathing pavilion: an
additional 26 cubicles (13 female and 13 male) as well as a covered promenade stoep of 8

ft 6 ins around the pavilion – for an estimated cost £875. But a decision was deferred

until the IPC was in a position to recommend proceeding with a previously contemplated
larger scheme of improvements that included the extension of the Marine Promenade

from Adderley Street and a landing stage for boats.

Inaction persisted for nearly the next 20 years as Woodstock Beach came under a variety
of pressures from road, rail and harbour construction which blocked sensible decisions.

By 1922 it had become clear that the Marine Drive needed to be widened from its

original 50 ft to cope with the increase in traffic and the only direction open was into the
beach area. In 1925 there were proposals to relocate the fishing industry from the new

Southern Scheme to a new fishing harbour to be built in the Woodstock area close to the

Salt River mouth. Then in 1929 a relief rail line was constructed to Woltemade and this
finally caused the Marine Drive to be realigned into the beach zone at Woodstock. This in

turn required the existing pavilion to be removed re-erected farther seawards.