Construction teams working on the expansion of the Cape Town International Convention Centre discovered part of the old Cape Town harbour pier.
The discovery was made during underground work on the foreshore for a tunnel connecting the new building to the existing one.
Convention centre CEO Julie-May Ellingson said work on the tunnel had to be halted for a while.
“Our contractor uncovered a portion of the historical Cape Town harbour pier which meant that construction had to be put on hold while our archaeologist assessed the historical value of the pier as well as options to preserve (it)‚” she said.
Supplied
The original old Cape Town harbour pier. photo: Supplied
“Following consultation with and approval from Heritage Western Cape to proceed‚ we removed a portion of the pier for preservation.”
Additional support was needed for the side walls of the tunnel‚ and construction was delayed for two months. The 13‚000m² extension is expected to be officially opened in June.
The harbour pier was built at the bottom of Heerengracht in 1910 and included a pavilion where ballet and music concerts were given.
It became a non-racial gathering point but in 1939 it was demolished to make way for the reclamation of the foreshore from the sea.
- TMG Digital/Sunday Times
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