The Black River Corridor: Visions for Restoration and Recreational Use

ABSTRACT The goal of this project was to aid the City of Cape Town in creating a vision for park and recreational spaces throughout the Black River Corridor to ultimately improve the ecological and socioeconomic potential of the river. By documenting river conditions, talking to stakeholders, and researching river revitalization processes, we devel- oped visions for the area. A pathway route and potential economic op- portunities were recommended for an interdepartmental task force to continue with a multi-phase revitalization project.

This project report is part of an ongoing research program by students and faculty of the WPI Cape Town Project Centre to explore and develop options for sustainable community development in South Africa. For more informa- tion please go to: http://wp.wpi.edu/capetown/

The following is an executive summary of a set of project reports that have been implemented as a website available at:

http://wp.wpi.edu/capetown/homepage/projects/2011-2/river/

AUTHORS PROJECT SPONSOR ADVISORS MICHAEL DELLA DONNA THE CITY OF CAPE JAMES DAVID SAREAULT PROFESSORS TOWN: DEPARTMENT KATRINA BOYNTON SCOTT JIUSTO & OF ENVIRONMENTAL KIARA GRAVEL STEVEN TAYLOR AND HERITAGE MAN- An Interactive Qualifying Project submitted to the faculty of Worcester Polytechnic Institute in partial AGEMENT fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science. MISSION STATEMENT Northern Suburbs. The variety of neighbourhoods that the river flows In its present state, the Black through presents a multitude of op- River is a river of problems. Deci- portunities for uses of the river. mated by many types of pollution (Figure 1), the river is largely unusable POTENTIAL by the communities around it. Even There is a lot of potential to small amounts of direct contact with develop the area in connection with the river can cause serious health existing city assets. Several nearby problems. The river is further af- Figure 2: Water Hyacinth with visible litter stadiums, golf courses, and private flicted with invasive plants and spe- businesses can all contribute to the cies (Figure 2). As a result, the river is BACKGROUND success of the area. A developing ur- Figure 3: A Two Rivers Urban Park entrance a detriment to the region when it ban park area, called the Two Rivers could be an asset. Rivers are natural waterways Urban Park (Figure 3), can serve as a flooding, the path of the Black River that run through cities all across the recreational outlet for nearby resi- that we know today was created. The world. They are often accompanied dents. The Black River and the sur- Black River is a mostly human- with economic developments such as rounding river corridor can also be engineered river; its current course is factories and plants which, while cre- used to connect people who have tra- caused by dredging that was intended ating jobs, also pollute the water. As a ditionally been separated. All of these to prevent serious flooding. Histori- result, many urban river restoration factors can combine to help make the cally, it would have looked like a series efforts have evolved in a post- Black River corridor a better place for of low lying wetlands that would flood industrial world. the people of Cape Town, but this will together during winter. In 1943, the Located in Cape Town, West- not happen without a significant ef- City of Cape Town took preventative ern Cape, South Africa, the Black fort to improve the area. Rehabilitat- measures to control the flooding by River is part of the greater Salt River ing the Black River should be an inte- canalizing most of the river (Aikman catchment system, which drains wa- gral part of the success of any plan to Associates, 2002). This method dis- ter from both Table Mountain and advance the communities around the rupts local ecosystems but prevents the the Cape Flats into Table Bay. As a river. Due to high levels of pollution, weather from destroying the area’s in- Figure 1: Pollution behind Oude Molen Eco however, the Black River can hardly frastructure. Because of dredging and Village near the N2 Highway. river system with many contributors, the Salt River catchment has served be utilized by anyone in its current pollutants from further upstream, the as an outlet for much unwanted state. river has declined in health until it The goal of our project was waste. Consequently, some sections reached its current condition. Despite therefore to aid the city of Cape Town of this catchment are highly polluted. The Black River is currently a canalization of the river, the river can in creating a vision for park and rec- The Black River, despite its uncleanli- overflow its banks during the heavy reational spaces throughout the Black detriment to the region when, ness, holds great potential for com- rains of winter. As the seasons change, River Corridor to improve the socio- it could be an asset. munities along its course, and the city however, the rains dissipate and the economic potential of the river. The flow of water through the Black River is as a whole. HISTORY principal outcomes of the project reduced. The water depth becomes ex- Although it is only a few kilo- The Black River hasn’t always been in were deciding the best location for a tremely shallow during the dryer sum- metres, the Black River flows through the harsh condition that it is in today. pathway, highlighting sections along mer months, only reaching roughly 30 a wide range of Cape Town communi- It was an important source of water the pathway for park development, cm in height. This very dynamic water ties. The waters of the Black River for herd animals, and remained and presenting visions for future eco- height scenario poses many problems flow through the affluent Southern mostly unchanged through the mid- nomic and recreational opportuni- for traditional aquatic navigation, and Suburbs, the low-income areas in the 20th century. With the construction ties. limits the ability of people to traverse Cape Flats, and the industrialized of the Black River Parkway and ca- the Black River. areas in the eastern City Bowl and nalization of the river to prevent

River Pg. 1 DOCUMENTING CONDITIONS To learn the best areas for pathways and parks and to assess clean-up opportunities, the team walked the length of the river, docu- menting both physical and ecological conditions (Figure 5):  Areas of exceedingly high pollu- tion by visible pollution in water and on banks  Approximate amounts of river flow  Man-made structures along Figure 6: Learning about obstacles along the banks like bridges, highways, Black River from David, a community member of Maitland Garden Village and railroads  Vegetation and wildlife in river ASSESS OPPORTUNITIES and on banks along with in- To learn about the various vasive species visions surrounding the river, the As well as social conditions: team conducted interviews, attended  Economic class of residents who stakeholder meetings, and spoke with live around the river Figure 4: Methodological Plan of Collecting Information, Creating a Vision, and Finalizing Results community members along the Black  Frequency and type of usage by and neighbouring rivers. We wanted PREVIOUS URBAN RIVER residents from desire lines to respond thoughtfully to the many The present river conditions were RESTORATIONS different visions of stakeholder METHODOLOGY explored to understand obstacles and groups in hopes that a collective ef- We first researched success- opportunities in revitalizing the corri- To create a vision for park fort on the river will be established. ful urban river restoration stories, dor. and recreational spaces throughout We spoke with community members examining factors that made rivers the Black River Corridor, we estab- desirable to their respective commu- from Maitland Garden Village (Figure lished the following objectives: nities, and drawing ideas for the 6) and Oude Molen Eco Village to 1. Research urban river restoration Black River. Pertinent information understand how the river affected efforts in other cities. that we identified includes: their lives and how it could be im- proved. It was useful to speak with 2. Document the conditions along  Recreational opportunities representatives from TRUP, since the the Black River. achieved on the rivers pathway would be incorporated in 3. Assess opportunities for clean-up  Steps taken to make the rivers their future plans for the park as well. and recreational use of the river. usable for recreational use 4. Propose a vision for a non- We also spoke with representatives  Sources of funding for restora- from the Rondebosch and Mowbray motorized transportation path- tion efforts way through the corridor. golf courses that are located along the  Lessons learned from revitaliza- river, they line a very significant por- 5. Make recommendations for an tion projects interdepartmental task force to tion of the river and are potentially We created a library of infor- Figure 5: Documenting river conditions at major private sponsors of the river move forward with the project. Oude Molen Eco Village mation on river restoration for the restoration process The provincial city to utilize. All the case studies government and the city of Cape have geographical, social, or political Town also helped outline different parallels to the Black River.

River Pg. 2 visions that would benefit the city through economic opportunities. To help assess the task of cleaning up and maintaining a polluted river, we also spoke with representatives from the Friends of the Liesbeek River. They emphasized how community awareness was a key component in restoring the Black River, and how that could be accomplished through a pathway. (Winter, 2011) Figure 7: Important Case Studies (L to R) were the South Platte, Bronx, and Leisbeek Rivers VISION FOR A NON-MOTORIZED to a full river restoration. These sug- ran through a heavily industrialized trails have transformed the Bronx gestions were heavily derived from area. The regeneration of this river River into a popular recreation desti- TRANSPORTATION PATHWAY the case studies and interviews with started as a community based effort nation in the surrounding urban area. THROUGH THE CORRIDOR. experts, as well as identified gaps in with the formation of the Platter (Renn, 2008) Supported both by experts on current research on the river. The River Development Committee. This Another river once polluted the ground as well as examples pre- team also outlined a list of deliver- all volunteer committee garnered that meets up with the Black River is sented in the case studies, the team ables to assist the task force as it pro- support for the project by taking in- the Liesbeek (Figure 7, right). It also synthesized a vision for a non- gressed, including the entirety of the fluential members of the public on went through a restoration process. motorized transport pathway along research gathered by the team. tours of the river. Once the river was The Friends of the Liesbeek River the Black River. The team looked at in the minds of the public, they were have explored the recreational po- the desire lines along the Black River RESULTS & able to make heavy use of volunteer tential for a riverside pathway. Along to plan the route of the pathway. De- ACCOMPLISHMENTS planting and clean-up efforts. Today the river, a pedestrian pathway winds sire lines are imaginary lines that the South Platte thrives both ecologi- through a grassy park area while a represent pedestrian’s desire to move cally and economically, and contains bicycle path provides a more direct from one point to another, indicated KEY FINDINGS FROM CASE over one hundred miles of trails. path through the park. The bicycle by informal dirt pathways, or clear- STUDIES (Renn, 2008) path provides a middle ground be- ings through tall grass. (Burgess, Two rivers were identified The Bronx River (Figure 7, tween the direct, albeit loud and po- 2011) After establishing the route of that related closely to the Black River. middle) also had a lot in common with tentially dangerous, roadways for the pathway, the team considered These two rivers were the South the Black River. The Bronx River has motor vehicles and the scenic, mean- security for each section as well as Platte River in Denver, Colorado, been so extensively modified by hu- dering pedestrian pathway. pathway amenities, such as benches USA, and the Bronx River in New mans that it was impossible to return and bird hides to attract people and York City, New York, USA. They both it to its natural state. The Bronx NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPOR- encourage the use of the path. We River restoration was truly commu- shared similar traits to the Black TATION PATHWAY articulated these visions in the form nity driven. Restoration efforts be- River, and the restoration efforts of The path will run along the of a coffee table style pathway book, gan with youth and church groups these rivers gave critical insight into length of the river, but removed sev- as well as a detailed presentation. organizing small scale litter clean-up how to revitalize an urban river. eral meters from its edge (Figure 8). operations. These efforts drew public The South Platte River Leaving space between the river and RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AN IN- attention and eventually the Bronx (Figure 7, left) before it underwent a the path allows for people to see the River Alliance was formed. This TERDEPARTMENTAL TASK FORCE restoration closely resembled the river while walking and will let people group has initiated many improve- After establishing a vision for Black River in its present state. It lounge close to the river without in- ments, including the replanting of a pathway that would encourage pub- was a seasonal river that became very terruption from people using the native species and the establishment lic interest in the river, the team con- shallow in the summer, but caused path. Keeping the path off the edge of of multiple pedestrian trails. These sidered the next steps that would lead flooding issues in the winter. It also the river also allows people to use the

River Pg. 3 people’s accessibility to new areas way along the river is near the Hazen- and to new people and opportunities. dal rail station. This point is signifi- The pathway will join with existing cant because it marks the confluence pathways along the Elsieskraal River of the Vygekraal and Elsieskraal Riv- ers. This is beneficial to the Black and use the existing footbridge over River pathway because it opens up the Black River itself to connect the potential opportunities for a multi- communities of Pinelands and Mait- river pathway network land with Observatory, Mowbray and The site is very open for the Rondebosch on the opposite side of most part, with good visibility in all the River. Connecting these commu- directions. Lights would be required nities may create new business op- to ensure safety along the path at night, as well as keeping the N2 un- portunities and stir economic devel- derpass well lit. Apart from lighting, opment of the areas. the area should be relatively safe,

Figure 8: Non-motorized transportation pathway route along the Black River path closer to winter, when rains can ning of apartheid era politics to mix cause river levels to rise considerably. with those of other areas. The pathway will connect communi- Residents from communities ties that have previously been iso- in the Cape Flats have had their lated by both physical and social bar- movement hindered by obstructions riers. A public recreation area that is such as railroads and highways open to people of many communities (Figure 9). This causes communal also serves to integrate them in an Figure 10: Hazendaal Park vision as public access point for pathway and location for microen- unimposing way. The construction of separation and hinders potential for terprises the pathway may allow people who economic growth. A pathway around have been isolated since the begin- these obstructions serves to increase STOPS ALONG THE PATH with close proximity to Hazendal rail In this section, we walk along station that will have security person- an area of open space with great po- nel. tential for a park and walk and an- It also serves as a public ac- other area where the pathway would cess point for the path (Figure 10). In connect different communities. These addition, this spot provides access stops are important because of the from Hazendal rail station and the great potential they hold for the suc- community of Hazendal itself. There cess of the pathway and economic is a large vacant lot adjacent to the opportunities they possess from vi- river that provides multiple develop- sions. ment opportunities. The main vision HAZENDAL PARK for this space is a park and walk, The proposed starting point similar to the park and walk areas Figure 9: N2 Underpass vision with security lights, pathway ,and signed space for a non-motorized transport path- along the Liesbeek Pathway. This

River Pg. 4 would provide a place for pedestrians have to be circumvented along this to store their vehicles while using the Across Perseverance road, Increase the community’s in- area. path. Another possibility for this the path will continue along the river volvement and awareness of the Determine the causes of pollu- area is a small playground. In addi- behind Maitland Garden Vil- river. tion in the river. tion to these permanent fixtures, this lage. This spot would serve as an ex- Make the river as accessible This could come in the form location could serve micro- cellent recreational venue for resi- to the public as possible by creating a of a point-source, such as a pipe from enterprises by providing a weekly dents of the community to re- path along the river. The role of the a factory spilling effluent into the bazaar site for artisans. lax. Existing Two Rivers Urban Park task force in this will be to push the river, or it could be in the form of a framework documents have sug- project forward. Another important line-source, such as runoff from a TWO RIVERS URBAN PARK: gested an informal ―kick-around‖ step is to increase awareness of the highway that runs along the side of OUDE MOLEN AND MAITLAND field at the edge of the driving range, general public. Funding is critical in the river. Only after these sources of GARDEN VILLAGE protected from golf balls by a barrier restoration projects and often al- pollution are identified is it possible The second half of the river system.(Shepherd, 2006) though some capital is required to for them to be neutralized. runs straight through Two Rivers Ur- start, continued operations and resto- ban Park (Figure 11). There are many CONCLUSION ration thrive through community Develop an environmental edu- entrances into this area, including an support. cation program about the river. existing Two Rivers Urban Park arch- In the case of a group of peo- way located in the parking lot of Vin- FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES AND Begin construction of the path- ple chronically contributing to the cent Palotti Hospital. It is also possi- RECOMMENDATIONS way at Two Rivers Urban Park. pollution problem, it is necessary to ble to enter from Oude Molen Eco Appoint a river restoration ex- The pathway could be cre- develop an education program to stop Village, Perseverance road, and the pert. ated in conjunction with the on-going this. By educating the people who live Valkenberg pedestrian bridge. The The expert could serve as a development of TRUP. This area also and work along the river, particularly pathway in this location runs along sort of human database, not neces- has relatively few obstacles to con- in the upstream areas, the river the river as well as making a circuit sarily containing all the answers, but struction—there are existing bridges health can be improved in a sustain- for people to enjoy the wet- knowing how to point people with to allow for passage across the Black able manner. lands. This area enjoys a diverse eco- questions in the right direction and River and the M5 which could be util- logical system that could be the site of understanding the common themes ized for the pathway and there are no Improve riverside informal set- multiple bird hides. in various river restoration projects. private developments that would tlements These areas of low-income informal housing pose a unique threat to the health of an adjacent river. Although the people of that community may depend on the river, they must be able to use it sustaina- bly. Even if they aren’t actively abus- ing the river, urban runoff in these environments is far worse than for- malized urban areas. By upgrading and formalizing these areas and con- trolling policy regarding river usage, the level of impact these areas have on river health can be mitigated, and community well being can be im- proved. Figure 11: Two Rivers Urban Park vision

River Pg. 5 REFERENCES Aikman Associates. Department of Environmental and Heritage Manage- ment, South Africa. Two Rivers Urban Park Baseline Heritage Study. Cape Town, 2002. Print.

Burgess, Claire. Personal Interview. November 22nd, 2011. Claire Burgess is a Landscape Architect who worked on the Liesbeek River pathway.

Renn, Julia M., The Case Studies Guide: Conceptual Alternatives for Onondaga Creek. Onondaga Environmental Institute, May 2008. Print.

Shepherd, Desiree, and Cass Gaisford. South Africa. Two Rivers Urban Park Landscape Framework (Phase 2 EMP). City of Cape Town: 2006. Print.

Winter, Kevin. Personal Interview. November 22nd, 2011. Dr. Kevin Win- ter is the lead researcher in Urban Water Management at the Uni- versity of Cape Town.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

 Crispin Barrett– City of Cape Town Department of Envi- ronmental and Heritage Management  Juan Nomdo– City of Cape Town Department of Envi- ronmental and Heritage Management  Clive James-City of Cape Town Department of Environ- mental and Heritage Management  Our Advisors-Scott Jiusto & Steven Taylor

River Pg. 6