Page 24 - Bulletin 17 2013

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the beachfront and Zandvlei; a central access road to the beach from Main Road

in the vicinity of the Grand Hotel, passing either under or over the railway line.

Piercy’s report was supported by the CPPA and adopted by Council, but with
modifications, because of Council commitments elsewhere. It was decided to undertake

only the proposals from the railway footbridge to eastward of the new pavilion. A loan of
£51,000 was required. It was also decided to seek competitive designs. But no work

commenced and in 1914 Mr Piercy returned to Britain.

As the war was expected to be a short one many projects continued to receive attention.

In January 1916 the City Engineer, Mr Lloyd-Davies, was instructed to report on the

development of the beach between Muzenberg Station and Zandvlei mouth. His plan was
similar to Piercy’s but he made Ellis (later Camp) / Atlantic Road the approach road

connecting Main Road to the beachfront, and he set the promenade far enough back to
allow a large expanse of dry beach between it and the HWM. On 10 February 1916 a

joint committee of the IPC and Finance Committee recommended approval of this
scheme and allocated £1,000 for preparing plans for promenade, roadway and grounds,

and securing competitive plans etc. In June £2,000 was allocated for acquiring ground for

the purpose of widening Ellis road.

During 1916 competitive designs were submitted for the new pavilion and the first prize
was awarded to Mr William Hood Grant. On 26 October 1916 the scheme was modified

by eliminating unproductive elements and confining it to the pavilion to cost £30,000.
However, the matter was then shelved because of the continuing war situation.

The existing amenities were well-used during the war years. After the war the Council
remained intent on realising Muizenberg’s resort potential and the shelved plans were

dusted off and revised. They realised that the matter of a new pavilion and its location

had to be considered in tandem with a satisfactory layout of the extensive foreshore area
lying between the HWM and Beach Road and extending from the station to Zandvlei

mouth. So the years 1924 – 27 were ones of preparation for implementing the ambitious