Visitors to the renovated Seeberg Bird Hide will experience something new and different this time around.
This according to Dries Venter, chairperson of the West Coast Region of the SANParks Honorary Rangers (WCSHR), who spoke at the recent official handover of the bird sanctuary to SANParks.
The WCSHR undertook a project in 2020 to do maintenance of all the existing hides.
At Seeberg the following was done: all woodwork in the hide and walkways were treated with a wax-based application, latches of hatches and door closing mechanisms were fixed, the walkway shade netting was mended, the cement floor was renewed and the roof patched.
In 2021, the WCNP and surrounds experienced heavy winter storms, which ripped away the roof cladding causing the roof to leak excessively. According to Rocco Nel, vice-chairperson of WCSHR, and project leader, the design is unfortunately a flat roof with side structures extending beyond the roof. “Therefore, rainwater remains on the roof and cannot flow away,” he said. “This caused leakage through the roof into the hide.
“We decided to not keep on patching the roof, but to come up with a better solution.” As the hides are a showpiece of the WCNP and cater for many local, national and international visitors and bird enthusiasts, the WCSHR consulted the Western Cape Birding Forum for advice on the matter. It represents many bird guides and clubs who regularly visit the hides in the park.
Several options were considered. Firstly, to replace the existing roof with a slant so that rainwater can run off and, secondly, to build a new hide at an alternative location. This would require a change in the authorised footprint of the present hide, and the option was rejected due to the high cost of having to do an expensive Environmental Impact Study (ElA). “This would not only cost a lot of money but also consume a lot of time due to bureaucratic drudgery,” Nel said. “The rehabilitation of the area where the present hide and walkway is located would bring about unnecessary costs.”
The third option was to not extend the footprint laterally and horizontally, but to build a second floor on top of the hide with a slanted roof. This option was the preferred solution with the following benefits: the current footprint is retained; the view is enhanced by a higher vantage; the leaking roof problem is resolved by having a slanted roof on top of the extension; the present walkway, and access from the road, is maintained; and by keeping the present hide intact as a bottom floor it retains access for people with disabilities.
A design was produced and permission received from the Park Manager to go ahead with the project. The second-floor construction was undertaken by Langebaan Home Renovations and completed in early September this year.
At the handover of the renovated Seeberg Bird Hide by the SANParks Honorary Rangers (West Coast Region) to the West Coast National Park (WCNP), Pierre Nel, Acting Park Manager of the WCNP, acknowledged the substantial amount of work done by the SHR on the bird hides in the park. “We really want to thank the SHR for this significant effort, but also, for its endeavour with other projects, such as with Jutten and Malgas islands.”
The actual cost of construction was R84 000. Generous donations were received from the Tygerberg Bird Club as well as the Elizabeth Harding Trust administered by the WWF. A further donation was also received from the West Coast Bird Club. These donations contributed greatly to cover the cost of construction.
“The extension is resplendent with spectacular views, comfortable seating and a most welcome additional asset to the West Coast National Park,” says Rocco Nel.
