Page 145 - KBHA Bulletin 16
P. 145

142


                   -shelter. It housed 76 bathing cabins in the wing close to the pool, with tea-rooms at the

                   higher level in the other wing. In the angle between the wings was a stage for orchestral
                   and other entertainments with the audience accommodated on the sands. The projecting

                   roof supported on columns provided shelter to a large part of this area. On 23 December
                   1915 the tender of Mr S Romain of £6,316 5s was accepted and the Pavilion opened in

                   1917. The Camps  Bay  –  Bakoven Drainage Scheme was inaugurated only on 18 July
                   1928. Sewage flowed by gravity or was pumped to the outfall in Bakoven Bay.



                   In 1918 the Cape Peninsula Publicity Association described Camps Bay as follows:



                          Camp’s Bay itself is a restorative health resort, ozone from driven salt spray, balm
                   from  adjacent  pine  woods,  and  cool,  fresh  mountain  airs  mingle  on  the  Camp’s  Bay
                   beach and constitute just the tonic needed to send new life to tissues parched by inland
                   heat.
                          The Camp’s Bay beach is pleasant and uncommon. Unlike so many seafronts, it is
                   not a depressing range of furze-clad sand dunes, but a restful, charming pleasure-ground
                   where grassy downs and long silvery strands alternate with picturesque rocky coves and
                   promontories.

                          The  beach  slopes  too  abruptly,  and  the  currents  are  too  strong  to  permit  surf
                   bathing, but there are places specially indicated by signboards, where open sea bathing
                   may be enjoyed in water calm, safe and deep enough in places to permit of swimming,
                   and shallow enough in other places to accommodate those who do not swim.

                   Cape Peninsula Holiday Haunts, July 1918: 43.


                   During the 1920s  the post-war depression dashed hopes  of further development.  After

                   1931 the tramway track was ceded to the Council provided it was converted to a motor
                   road that has been known subsequently as Camps Bay Drive. In 1936 all Cape Marine

                   Suburbs  assets  were  bought  by  Isadore  Cohen  but  sales  were  sluggish  until  the

                   development really took off in the 1960s. (de Beer, 1987.)
   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150