The inside story of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

Cape Town’s Pier

Before the Foreshore was reclaimed from the sea, this was the amenity at the bottom of Adderley Street.

Cape Town Pier

Cape Town Pier during one of the regular concerts.

I haven’t come across a better photograph demonstrating how wonderful Cape Town’s Pier must have been. And what a loss Cape Town’s close connection to the sea must have been.

The big positive for the city, though, was that all the vacant land on the Foreshore probably saved many of Cape Town’s old buildings and neighbourhoods from demolition to make way for new buildings.  Imagine tall office buildings filling Bokaap, Tamboerskloof and Oranjezicht!

Apart from being used for concerts, it was a place to stroll at lunchtimes, to fish from or explore Table Bay in a rowing boat or dingy.  Regular swimming competitions took place here.

Could this painting have inspired Cape Town's Pier?

 
Holiday Time in Cape Town in the Twentieth Century, in Honour of the Expected Arrival of a Governor-General of UNITED South Africa, or more simply known as Holiday time in Cape Town or Holiday Time in Cape Town in the Twentieth Century, isa painting by British-born, Cape artist James Ford completed in 1899.  It can be viewed at Iziko Museum in Cape Town.
Holiday Time in Cape Town in the Twentieth Century, in Honour of the Expected Arrival of a Governor-General of UNITED South Africa, or more simply known as Holiday time in Cape Town or Holiday Time in Cape Town in the Twentieth Century, is a painting by British born Cape artist James Ford completed in 1899.

Since my focus is the V&A Waterfront, I haven’t had time to dig into the City Council’s archives to find the debates and decisions taken for the building of The Pier, or find out who designed it.  Nothing appears on Google.

Maybe someone at the City will be prepared to do some digging?

 

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