Last updated: June 2024
Two River Urban Park is a public space located towards the confluence of the Liesbeek and Black Rivers and is one of the largest urban green lungs in the City of Cape Town. It is approximately 240 hectares in extent. The Park comprises sensitive ecological systems and habitats, extensive open space areas, institutions, historical buildings and cultural landscapes (2). The City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Province own significant proportions of the park and in 2011, the Western Cape Government started considering the sustainable redevelopment of the TRU Park into a mixed-used urban green area including housing development, heritage protection, the rehabilitation of the degraded environment and recreation opportunity creation (1). Since 2016, the project has been on hold due to the modification of the planning law Local Spatial Development Framework that affects the redevelopment plans of the Two Rivers Urban Park (1).
Source: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/two-rivers-urban-park-%E2%80%93-towards-sustainable-integrated-urban-development
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Green space creation and/or management
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Combatting crime and corruption
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social cohesion
- Social justice and equity
- Social interaction
- Environmental education
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Employment/job creation
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, Ecological restoration of ecosystems
Project objectives
- Redevelopment of a derelict industrial area into a mix-used urban green open space
- Increasing social inclusion and ecological integrity (1)
- Rehabilitation and enhancement of the intrinsic ecological qualities of the area
- Conservation of the unique cultural landscape
- Encourage environmental education and increase ecological awareness
- Support social equity (1)
Implementation activities
- Preparation of preliminary studies: heritage baseline study, flood modelling and mitigation, market potential analysis (1)
- Organisation of stakeholder engagement workshops to provide a platform for civil society feedback on the plans
- Revision of the official Local Spatial Development Framework (LSDF) for the Two Rivers Urban Park
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Regional government
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Other
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The land the Two Rivers Urban Park located on is primarily owned by the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town. "The Western Cape Government began considering regeneration opportunities for the properties it owns in the TRUP area around 2011. After finding the development would be limited by infrastructure available to the site, the Province began working with the City of Cape Town to try to create a joint redevelopment plan that would be large enough to justify infrastructure upgrades." (1 p23) The original plan included the redevelopment of the area into a car-free mixed-used area with the rivers and the green open space as its central piece. "The Western Cape Government released a tender for professional services to undertake urban planning, precinct planning, engineering, environmental and heritage studies for the Two Rivers Urban Park area in 2015." (1 p24) The design and public engagement were put on hold due to legislative changes in the municipality-province owned land development regulations. In 2019, the co-design phase has started over. (4)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
("In 2003, a Contextual Framework was passed by the city council that "provides broad land use and urban design guidelines for the TRUP area" (1 p24).
The Local Spatial Development Framework (LSDF) provides formal planning guidance essential for the public land redevelopment projects (1).")
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Unknown
Type of funding
- Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Unknown
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Unknown
Type of reported impacts
No impacts reported
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1) Tozer, L. (2018). NATURVATION - Case Study Working Paper: Cape Town, South Africa
2) TRUP. (n.a.). Two River Urban Park. Accessed on 26th March, 2021. Source link
3) Western Cape Government. (2016). TWO RIVERS URBAN PARK: Draft Green Corridor Concept Plan. Accessed on 26th March, 2021. Source link
4) Western Cape Government. (2019). Two Rivers Urban Park – Towards a sustainable integrated urban development. Accessed on 26th March 2021, Source link
2) TRUP. (n.a.). Two River Urban Park. Accessed on 26th March, 2021. Source link
3) Western Cape Government. (2016). TWO RIVERS URBAN PARK: Draft Green Corridor Concept Plan. Accessed on 26th March, 2021. Source link
4) Western Cape Government. (2019). Two Rivers Urban Park – Towards a sustainable integrated urban development. Accessed on 26th March 2021, Source link
Source: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/two-rivers-urban-park-%E2%80%93-towards-sustainable-integrated-urban-development
Source: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/two-rivers-urban-park-%E2%80%93-towards-sustainable-integrated-urban-development
Source: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/two-rivers-urban-park-%E2%80%93-towards-sustainable-integrated-urban-development
Two Rivers Urban Park
Source: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/two-rivers-urban-park-%E2%80%93-towards-sustainable-integrated-urban-development