Petition against dam development

GEORGE NEWS - Local heritage societies and environmental organisations have added their voices to a petition against the proposed development of land on the banks of the Garden Route Dam that has amassed almost 12 000 signatures on the online portal change.org.

It was initiated by local environmental lobbyist Monica Vaccaro and is supported by the George Heritage Trust, Simon van der Stel Foundation, Wessa Eden and The Landmark Foundation.

George Municipality is rezoning the property to enable the development of a commercial waterfront precinct, a university and residential housing on 118ha (including open spaces).

"Our major concerns are that there is a very real risk of large-scale pollution of the city's main water resource and insufficient municipal funds to upgrade civil infrastructure," says Vaccaro.

"Furthermore, the sense of place and natural beauty of the picturesque, iconic dam area and Kat River Nature Reserve will be destroyed for evermore. Georgians will lose one of the most loved and well-used recreational facilities on the Garden Route."

ALSO READ: GR Dam development: What the political parties say

According to the petition, the development will contribute to decentralising the CBD and so further impoverish it, leading to further destruction of heritage resources as they become obsolete. Also, the lines between rural and urban areas which are firmly established, will be blurred by this development, to the detriment of both.

Chairman of the George Heritage Trust Henry Paine says the development threatens the current vistas of George which are part of Georgians' heritage.

"They are intangible aspects of George and need to be protected as strongly as our tangible assets. Our tangible assets have been raided by property developers for the past 40 years to the extent that there is not a lot left in our CBD. Heritage is not about saving a few wonderful examples, like museum pieces, it is about the sense of place that was established over generations. The trust believes that if there is a real need for the facilities proposed - and that has not been proven - they should be built in a way that bridges the communities that make our society. The Garden Route Dam is not the right place for this development, leaving aside all other issues."

Environment

Betsy Ditcham of Sharples Environmental Services says they are aware of the petition and all interested and affected parties will be given the opportunity to submit their concerns in the upcoming public participation phase. These will be formally considered and responded to as part of the environmental authorisation process.

George Municipality's director of Planning and Development, Lauren Waring, says the concerns raised have been recorded as part of an extensive public participation process. The municipality is awaiting a decision from the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs regarding the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the application.

The proposed development at the Garden Route Dam with a university campus, sports grounds, housing component, and hotel and commercial waterfront proposed to be located next to the spillway.

64% of site to be open space conservation area

"Should this project come to fruition, specifications include more than 75ha of the 118ha (64%) to be open space conservation area, only 5ha (4%) to be commercial, and the rest (32%) to be educational and residential. The intention is that all future users become custodians of the space and the site be managed by firm rules in terms of an environmental management plan," said Waring.

The dam will remain accessible to citizens. "Responsible, sustainable, mixed land use development will not only celebrate the qualities of this extraordinary site but also address some of the issues associated with large tracts of densely vegetated land, such as illegal occupation of land, sheltering of vagrants and criminals, cost of vegetation management and fire risk.

"The new application is accompanied by a 75-page motivating memorandum that includes five specialist reports including case studies, an urban design report, heritage impact and recommendations, a visual impact assessment, engineering report, storm water management plan and traffic impact assessment."

To sign the petition, click here: Hands off our dam - It belongs to the community of George

George Municipality plans to develop a massive waterfront housing, commercial and university compound on the edge of the iconic Garden Route Dam.

Major concerns surrounding this mammoth development of 118 ha (the size of about 118 rugby fields) include the very real risk of large-scale pollution of the city’s main water resource, insufficient municipal funds to upgrade civil infrastructure, and the destruction of the sense of place and natural beauty of the picturesque Garden Route Dam and Katrivier Nature Reserve for evermore.

If the municipality and its developers have their way, the people of George will lose:

1. One of their most loved and well used recreational facilities on the Garden Route
2. Uninterrupted mountain views from Saasveld Road which is an extension of the Seven Passes Road, a Provincial heritage resource as well as the vistas from the site itself.
3. There is presently a firm line between the urban development of the suburbs to the west of the site and the rural areas around the Dam. This development will blur the lines between rural and urban and have a negative impact on both.
4. If this piece of unspoiled land is to be used by the citizens of George, it should be the natural environment that should determine how it is used. It should remain a public asset for the use of the public and not be exploited and destroyed for private gain.
5. This development will shift the centre of gravity from the CBD of George and impoverish the heart of the city. The only winners will be the property developers.
6. The decentralisation of the CBD will lead to further destruction of heritage resources as they become obsolete.
7. There are many ways in which the area could be used to further promote local tourism and create a mega safe multi-recreational space for everyone to enjoy.

In Conclusion:

Heritage has both tangible and intangible dimensions. The open spaciousness around the dam, the ambience there, access to the mountains and forests, the ability to listen to the birds, to watch the kingfishers and fish eagle hunt, the unspoilt natural surroundings, add intangible value to George as a pleasant place of human habitation.

Georgians ride mountain bikes there, families picnic and walk their dogs. Members of different communities and residential areas interact. People of all communities have become accustomed to having the recreational area at the dam.

It forms part of their sense of place and should not be taken from them and future generations without their consent.’

This petition is fully supported by The George Heritage Trust and The Simon van der Stel Foundation, registered local Heritage organisations. The petition also has the full support of WESSA Eden and The Landmark Foundation.

If you don't want further destruction of our natural areas, please sign this petition.

Keep the GARDEN in the Garden Route!

HERITAGE SOCIETY'S FULL COMMENT

Henry Paine, chairman of the George Heritage Trust's full comment:

The Heritage Trust supported the petition because, broadly, we believe the development threatens the current views and vistas of George which are, in our view, part of our heritage. They are intangible aspects of George and need to be protected as strongly as our tangible assets. Our tangible assets have been raided by property developers for the past 40 years to the extent that there is not a lot left in our CBD.

Heritage is not about saving a few wonderful examples, like museum pieces, it is about the sense of place that was established over generations. That is not to say that nothing can change; of course it can and it must! The Trust is not anti development.

We are against development that robs our children of the experiences that we enjoy.

The most important aspect of life after 1994 is that it is democratic. Unfortunately, as is patently obvious from recent history, democracy does not thrive in a state that does not respect the wishes of its citizens. All public authorities need to be made aware of what the citizens want. Asking for comment on a 1 000 page (or more) submission does not gauge the public’s feelings on something like this development. It becomes technocratic and alienates a large portion of our society. People should feel that their opinions matter.

The petition is a way of ensuring that the citizens are not ignored. It is part of a democratic nations way of voicing its feelings.

Although we hope that the development will be stopped, even if we get thousands of signatures there is no guarantee that it will be successful. There is a lot of money invested in it for one thing. Of course the voices may not be heard by the authorities. But, if there are enough signatures it cannot be ignored.

If there is no interest in the petition I suppose it will simply confirm that what is proposed is in the best interests of us all or that there are not enough people who care. I have great confidence in the officials of George Municipality and I am sure that they will listen to the sentiments expressed in the petition.

The Trust believes that if there is a real need for the facilities proposed (and that has not been proven), they should be built in a way that bridges the communities that make our society. The George dam is not the right place for this development, leaving aside all other issues.

We hope that the authorities will listen to our position and will expand their interpretation as to what is to be considered our heritage. We have become involved by way of comment in a number of issues around these concerns in the George area in past years.

We hope that the Trust will be counted amongst the organisations that contribute to maintaining our environment and ensuring that it is sustainable and does not to the way of many other towns. We are proud of George’s heritage and we will defend it in every way we can.

We have a responsibility to safe guard all our heritage; tangible, intangible and natural. We are the centre of the Garden Route and we have to make sure it stays a ‘garden route’!

Previous articles: