MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Due to the fact that the historic Mossel Bay Central Business District (CBD) is no longer the main economic hub for the larger Mossel Bay area, the function and future function of the historic Mossel Bay CBD were evaluated and Mossel Bay Municipality realised that there is a huge tourist potential in the historic Mossel Bay CBD.
A proposal was developed to link tourists and tourist related activities in the historic Mossel Bay CBD via a Tourist Route, which tells the history or “Story” of Mossel Bay and its people whilst providing relevant information regarding tourist activities, businesses, restaurants, coffee shops and the history of Mossel Bay.
The aim is to optimise the tourist potential of the applicable area to create job opportunities for Mossel Bay residents.
Since this project entails the “Story” of Mossel Bay, the communities in and around Mossel Bay will form an integral part of the essence of the design and implementation of this Tourism Route through a focused public participation process.
Mossel Bay Municipality appointed a multi-disciplinary team consisting of town planners, project managers, architects, tourism specialists and a public participation practitioner to facilitate the successful development of an Implementation Framework for the Mossel Bay Tourist Route.
The terms of reference include the following:
- Identify the location of existing focus points and tourist assets;
- Determine the best route to link the identified focus points and other tourist assets;
- Identify the best locations for the newly identified focus points within the existing and future urban fabric of the historical CBD;
- Develop a tourism or user optimization and implementation plan for Harry Giddy Park to maximize the use of this park;
- The development of an Art Concept for all the focus points, which will tell a part of the larger “Story”;
- The concept of each artwork for all the focal points will be developed to brief an artist; and
- Development of a business model with costs and timelines will form part of the Tourism Framework.
- The study area is the central area of Mossel Bay which covers the area from the Point to Harry Giddy Park as a first phase. The idea is to use this route to create linkages to all tourist activities in the larger Mossel Bay municipal area.
Based on the above the professional team will design and map the route with recommendations for proposals for surface markings, road crossings, signage street furniture, advertising and selected points for art work along the route and at the points of interest. The inputs and stories from interested stakeholders and the community will inform the route design with a theme. The story will be told as the visitor moves from point to point. Specific proposals will be made for Harry Giddy Park to fit in with the theme and to optimise the use of the park.
Proposals will also be made regarding wi-fi along the route so that the route users can access the “Story” and other tourist related information in different languages as he or she moves along the route from point to point.
Interested parties are invited to participate in the project to ensure inclusivity at the following focus meetings:
•Monday, 15 April 2019, Mossel Bay Town Hall, 17:30 – 18:30
•Tuesday, 16 April 2019, KwaNonqaba Community Hall, 17:30 – 18:30
•Tuesday, 16 April 2019, Dana Bay Community Hall, 19:00 – 20:00
•Wednesday, 17 April 2019, D’Almeida Community Hall, 17:30 – 18:30
Stakeholders and their organisations are invited to register as interested parties on the project database by sending an email to Dudley Janeke (dudley@djec.co.za) or Bongi Nokwe (bnokwe@mosselbay.gov.za or call (044) 606-6315 or attend any of the scheduled meetings for the project. Information related to this project will be circulated to stakeholders who have registered on the project database.
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