Cape Town - The historic Castle of Good Hope has undergone a transformation, marking steps toward reviving its surroundings.
The beautification initiative comes on the heels of the successful eviction of unlawful occupants who lived around it for several years.
Over the weekend, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, alongside City of Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, spearheaded a tree-planting ceremony outside the Castle precinct.
The initiative not only aims to enhance the area’s natural beauty, but also to encourage community engagement ahead of the bustling summer tourism season. Macpherson, speaking at the event, expressed his enthusiasm for the flourishing public space.
“I’m so excited to see what else this is going to become. I’m so excited to see families, kids coming down here.
“That’s exactly what we are all about, making public spaces work for the public,” he said.
The public was invited to participate in the tree planting, reinforcing a collective effort to uplift the area, despite the land not belonging to the City.
Hill-Lewis reminded attendees that the goal is to cultivate a space that evokes pride and beauty for all.
“We are committed to helping plant out and beautify this site more than just these trees, this is a start,” he said.
“Eventually we want this whole place to be a beautiful area.”
The Castle precinct had recently become an eyesore due to litter and illegal structures.
“We hear less harassing happening at the Castle, which is an improvement, and visitors can now feel safe without the filth all around,” said Sebastian van Niel, owner of Baie Lekker Touring.
He welcomed the new initiative as a “breath of fresh air”, suggesting that it could serve as a deterrent against future unlawful occupations.
In recent months, the City successfully completed various processes concerning eviction orders for unlawfully occupied City-owned sites around the Cape Town CBD.
Locations targeted included key areas along Buitengracht Street and FW de Klerk Boulevard, as well as near other prominent landmarks like the Green Point Tennis Court and the Christiaan Barnard Bridge.
Calvyn Gilfellan, CEO of the Castle of Good Hope, commented on the future of the space, saying: “Now it is a matter of further design of the layout of the rest of the area so that it becomes a public space open to the benefit of everyone. The purpose is to make good on the commitments to reclaim, secure, and beautify the space.”
Gilfellan acknowledged the collective contributions that made the initiative possible and emphasised the importance of law enforcement in maintaining safety and security around the eastern City precinct.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za