KAROO NEWS - The Owl House Foundation (OHF) recently announced that a grant funding application submitted in early June to the Rupert Historical Homes Foundation has been approved.

The Rupert Historical Homes Foundation availed a R500 000 grant to assist with the repair and restoration of the house of the Helen Martins, a crucial element of the Owl House and Camel Yard National Heritage Site located in the village of Nieu-Bethesda.

The Owl House is an internationally renowned tourism site which attracts more than 10 000 visitors and international tourists annually.

 As one of South Africa's most significant cultural landmarks, the Owl House plays a vital role in the Eastern Cape's tourism sector. However, the Helen Martins house and its iconic Camel Yard are in urgent need of repairs to preserve their historical and cultural significance.

André Marais, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the OHF, explains that the foundation contracted a heritage consultant and historic material specialist to conduct a comprehensive survey of the site.

The survey identified several critical areas in need of repair and restoration:

• Sealing the building, waterproofing the roof and parapet and closing gaps that allow dust into the dwelling.
• Exterior masonry repairs, stabilising and repairing all damaged exterior masonry walls and plaster.
•  Interior wall repairs and addressing damage to the interior walls.
• Boundary stone wall repairs and restoring the boundary stone wall surrounding the property.

"The crafting of the grant funding request has taught the Owl House Foundation many valuable lessons," said Marais. "We believe that we are now well-positioned to make further grant funding applications.

"Over the past two years, the board has worked diligently to establish proper governance structures, ensure compliance with legislation and regulation, and submitted an Integrated Conservation Management Plan to the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA). The ability to include this plan in our grant application was invaluable."

Marais says that the restoration project, which is expected to take four months to complete, will also include a community education and training component.

This initiative will feature lectures and practical workshops hosted by experts and specialists in building conservation.

The goal is to educate the local community on how to maintain a national heritage site, to transfer practical skills for repairing and maintaining historic buildings and to foster an open dialogue between the community and the OHF.

The conservation project aims to thereby leverage the restoration of the Owl House as a catalyst for local community upliftment.

Marais expressed his and the foundation's immense gratitude to the Rupert family.

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