New viewing platform

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - On Tuesday, 10 May, Granaat handed over a new viewing platform with an unrestricted view from the Valley of Desolation to the Camdeboo National Park.

Granaat is a local association that was formed in September 2000 when Karoo Nature Reserve was stressed by inadequate funding under the management of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature.

The Karoo Nature Reserve was the predecessor of the Camdeboo National Park. At the time a small group of concerned community members gathered to see what they could do to assist and since then they have been providing support to the park.

Over the past 21 years, Granaat has undertaken several projects, the latest of which will provide universal access to the world-renowned Valley of Desolation lookout point.

Chantelle Marais, a local tour guide, says she has been taking guests to the Camdeboo National Park and Valley of Desolation for so many years that it feels like her own backyard. Over the years she regularly entered the Valley of Desolation into the Lilizela Tourism Awards.

The Lilizela Tourism Awards give national recognition to establishments and raise their profile both in South Africa and around the world. Even though they were awarded at provincial level several times, they were never awarded at national level as the criteria for the national award included accessibility.

The late Buks Marais and other members of Granaat then took the lead to develop a technical proposal for universal access to the Valley of Desolation in collaboration with the relevant experts from SANParks, and shortly after the construction plans were approved.

The first phase of this project was to upgrade the parking area and ablution facilities by renovating the existing structures and adding another cubicle. This phase was completed and handed over to the park in 2019.

The handing over of the 60 square metre viewing platform by Chantelle Marais on behalf of Granaat and Marie de Vos from the SANParks Honorary Rangers to the Acting Park Manager at the Camdeboo National Park, Johannes Jantjies, marked the successful completion of the second phase of the project.

During phase three of the project, a 250-meter universal access pathway from the parking area to the new viewing platform will be constructed. The estimated cost of this phase of the project is about a R1-million as the walkway will have to be elevated to ensure less disturbance to the environment and recycled plastic will be used for the flooring.

The final phase of the project will involve the planning of comprehensive signage along the pathways to the valley. Nicola Woods already designed spectacular new posters to explain the geological evolution of the area over 300 million years after Jantjies rediscovered the old posters that were lost.

Christopher Pattan, Project Manager of the SANParks Business Development Unit, explained that universal access is aimed at everyone but especially people with physical, sensory and cognitive impairment.

"It is a societal obligation but has an economic incentive as the disability market amounts to about 15% of people with recognized disabilities."

With universal access, everyone will be able to enjoy the panoramic view from the Valley of Desolation, and the Camdeboo National Park will also be able to host special events for people with disabilities.

This will contribute to the financial recovery of the park after the 95% drop in tourism, its primary source of income, during Covid-19.

Andrew Riley, Acting Regional Manager of SANParks, expressed gratitude towards several people who contributed to the successful completion of the first two phases of the project and extended a special vote of thanks to Johannes Haarhoff for the amount of work that he has done.

"The Valley of Desolation is often referred to as the Gem of the Karoo, but Johannes Haarhoff is the Gem of Granaat."

At present Granaat is working tirelessly to secure the funds for the construction of the universal access pathway as this will see their dream of a fully accessible Valley of Desolation realised.

Guests enjoying the new viewing platform with unrestricted view from the Valley of Desolation.