IN a bid to beautify the grey and lifeless walls underneath the bridge in Humerail, art works may soon light up the entrance to the Bay’s beach front.
This comes after Ward 2 councillor, Renaldo Gouws, saw the need to improve tourism attractions in his ward with the assistance of the Nelson Mandela University (NMU). The project will offer an opportunity for NMU art students to help paint a better Bay beach front for residents and visitors to enjoy.
“When driving along Humewood Road towards Beach Road, the grey and vandalised walls look dull. This is the entrance to the Bay’s beautiful beach front and it has to be of a certain standard.
“My ward is basically the tourism hub of the Bay and this project will attract more visitors, which means a huge financial injection for businesses,” Gouws said.
According to Gouws, it only takes one tourist to share a picture at the breathtaking scenery in the Bay for millions to admire and visit the PE shores.
“We have so much potential to transform our beach front and create a space that’s vibrant, colourful and accessible.
“This project will generate interest among tourists who earlier had a different impression about our city. It will serve to highlight the values and the identity of the communities where artwork is being created, empower art students and to provide a positive tourist attraction,” he explained.
Gouws recently had a meeting with the dean of arts at NMU to discuss the partnership. However, a memorandum of understanding first needs to be approved by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) before the project can commence.
Gouws added, “To get the memorandum of understanding is not a difficult task.
“All that is required is for the municipality to let us know that they will be coming on board with the project.
“This will form a partnership between Ward 2, the NMBM and NMU,” he said.
Municipal spokesperson, Mthubanzi Mniki, said the municipality was still exploring various avenues on how to implement the project.
Mniki added, “The beaches and resorts sub-directorate appreciates the suggestion from the ward councillor and is confident that it will materialise.
“The ward councillor will be kept abreast of the developments.”
