A spectacular community effort from the Amanzimtoti Fire Brigade saw the Hoot Bridge subway tunnel, near Warner Beach, become a canvas for one of many tourist attractions to hit the South Coast.
Local businesses, ward councillors and Saphhire Coast Tourism teamed up with the fire department to clean the subway tunnel, making way for local artists to use it as a blank canvas for the murals which will draw in tourists to the area. The once highly lucrative industry has suffered over the last year as a result of beach closure, social distancing and other limitations from Covid-19 protocols.
“We implored local artist, Christine Andrews, to once again work her artistic magic on walls, tunnels and bridges based next to busy roads that visiting tourists use to enter our beaches and towns. We estimate this will take four to six weeks and ask drivers to be cautious while the project is underway,” said Romy Wenzel, head of Sapphire Coast Tourism.
So far an underwater world mural at the Umkomaas launch site, five out six updated tourism mapboards positioned at key points within Amanzimtoti Main Beach, Winklespruit and Umkomaas as well as The Sapphire Sizzling Summer Holiday Programme 2020, and even a visit from Santa during Clean Surf Projects in December 2020, have been carried out successfully by SCT in gearing up for 2021.Wenzel said: “A special thank-you to Justin Bateman and the C-Division team from the Amanzimtoti Fire Brigade for kindly assisting to prepare the canvas, in this case a subway, by washing down the walls. What great community spirit! We have also been fortunate enough to engage with several local businesses who advocated for alcohol and Covid-19 safety which has resultantly created an even more welcoming, safe atmosphere on the South Coast.”
A proposed viewing point of Golf Coast Road in Athlone Park as well as welcoming signs on the R102 are future projects Wenzel is confident will be carried out soon. She said: “There’s a lot to do, and even more to come. Community members also provided some historical insight on the iconic ‘Hoot’ bridge, which will certainly feature as it carries a story of its own.”The SCT team remind all registered accommodation establishments,
such as BnBs and guest houses, to apply for the eThekwini Covid-19 Rates Relief Programme which has been extended to June 2021.
