Page 94 - KBHA Bulletin 16

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of the 1950s leading from the city centre. The Council also hoped that the Government

might be considering construction of a handsome new rail terminus, worthy of the
coming legislative capital of South Africa, on part of the reclaimed land – this

foreshadowed the future station that would, however, be built only four decades later in
the 1950s.

The Council voted 13 to 4 in favour of the Pier and this resulted in both Pier and

Foreshore Scheme being pursued in tandem.

Design

With monies in the budget since the 1890s preparations for the Pier got underway during
1909. Council decided that it should not be a conventional iron framework with timber

decking but be of ferro-cement pile construction (based on the advice from the Harbour
Board that drew on their experience with iron and wood structures), and should be 60 ft

wide and 1000 ft long measured from the end of the Central Jetty. They also decided that
the design should be the subject of a competition with two prizes – £100 for first and £50

for second prize. The competition drew eight responses (one of which – F Masey & W

Westhofen - was disqualified on a technicality) upon which Council’s Works & Depot
Committee, assisted by Architect John Parker FRIBA and Col. G T Nicholson Harbour

Engineer, deliberated.

In October 1909 the Committee reported that no proposal in its entirety was suitable and
eventually in July 1910 the proposal of Architect William Adamson FRIBA was adopted

as the best submission. (Fig. 3.8.) The detailed design of the various amenities of the

super-structure was then distributed to a number of architects: the Concert Pavilion and
tea rooms to Messrs John Parker and Alex Forsyth, the tower, gates and lamp posts to Mr

Lucian Lubynski, the lavatories and bathing cabins to Mr William Adamson FRIBA, and

construction was to Messrs Mitchell and Mackie. In February 1911 Mr A F J Forbes was
awarded first prize for his proposals for the Approach to the Pier and the layout of a

Pleasure Garden on the land vacated by the Pageant Grounds. (Figs. 3.9 & 3.10.) During