Page 32 - KBHA BULLETIN 5

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ALL ROUND CAPE PENINSULA ROAD
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The construction of this road which I have been urging upon the Government for the last
six years, has this year been accepted as a policy. Work was begun in January 1913 on the section
from Miller’s Point via Smitswinkel Bay to Hugo’s Bridge, where it meets the road from
Simon’s Town via Red Hill. The present Red Hill Road is much too steep; some of the gradients
being one in four, one in six and one in eight. So it was decided to construct a new zig-zag road
down the Red Hill with a gradient of one in twenty. The Simon’s Town gaol which had been
closed, as a prison, was reopened as a convict station, and one hundred convicts were sent here
for the construction of the new Red Hill road. These men have done most splendid work. I have
no hesitation in saying that this new section of the all round road, is the finest piece of road
constructed in the Cape Peninsula. It was laid out and the work is being supervised by Mr.
Bromley. An outstation of wood and iron for 200 convicts has been erected at Smitswinkel Bay.
These convicts have now constructed that section of the road right up to the top of Smitswinkel
Bay valley. The Red Hill and the Smitswinkel Bay sections of the road will probably be
completed in about four months time. It is not for me to enlarge upon the beauties of this
magnificent drive, for if one begins it will be difficult to know where to stop; all I can say is that
the result of the construction of those two sections of the all round road, have more than justified
the arguments used when urging the Government to undertake this work. The section from
Roeland Street to the Groote Schuur, has now been completed. The surveys of the sections from
the Groote Schuur via the Botanical Gardens at Kirstenbosch to Constantia neck, and from Hout
Bay to Noordhoek, have been completed, and it is hoped that early next year the construction of
these two sections will be undertaken, and a convict outstation erected at Noordhoek and at
Kirstenbosch. When all the sections are completed the all round road will run from Cape Town
to Sea Point, Camps Bay, Hout Bay, round Chapman’s Peak (on the sea side) to Noordhoek, then
to Fishhoek, Glencairn, Simonstown, Miller’s Point, Smitswinkel Bay, down the Smitswinkel
Valley over the neck below and to the west of Klaas Jagers Brug, up the hills behind
Simonstown, down the new Red Hill road and into the old main road near to Simonstown
Railway Station, then via Glencairn to Fish-hoek. The small section from Simonstown to Fish-
hoek is the only part of this drive that will be gone over twice. From Fish-hoek it will go via Kalk
Bay, St. James, Muizenberg to Retreat, turning off from the main road at Retreat and going
through Tokai and Constantia, until it meets the new section at Constantia nek; then along the
slopes of Table Mountain through Kirstenbosch and Groote Schuur and continuing on the
mountain side of Mowbray and Woodstock and entering Cape Town at Roeland Street close to
the Roman Catholic Cathedral. I may be over sanguin, but it is my firm opinion that this all
round drive, with its glorious and ever changing scenery, and varied climate, (at one time the
road runs close to the level of the sea, at others it is 800 feet above), will be unsurpassed as a
marine drive, in any part of the world, and will attract thousands of people to visit Cape Town, in
order to take this unrivalled drive, and see the marvellous beauties of this lovely Cape Peninsula,
which for so many years has been undeveloped and unappreciated. I omitted from my original
scheme the extension of this road from Smitswinkel Bay to Cape Point. Consequently the
Government have not included it in the all round route. In my capacity as Port Officer and
Official visitor of Lighthouses, I come under the administration of Railways and Harbours
Department, which is erecting a new lighthouse at Cape Point, and all the material will therefore
have to be taken overland. So I urged the administration to assist me in getting the loan of 20

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