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The Black River Corridor: Visions for Restoration and Recreational Use

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The Black River Corridor: Visions for Restoration and Recreational Use 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.
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