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PORT ELIZABETH stands to lose one of its most important landmarks, family recreational facility, educational and tourism resource and icon of Algoa Bay – the Oceanarium at Bayworld. There’s a feeling of nostalgia in viewing the former dolphin lake, its vast blue surface no longer broken intermittently by the flukes of our beloved dolphins. The walkways around the pool are buckled, cracked and rust stained and the underwater viewing area resembles a dark mausoleum, grieving for a time when the Oceanarium was the highlight of a summer holiday.

The daily public performances of seals and penguins seem stretched to their limit to hold the attention of the audience and, unlike the dolphins, cannot distract attention away from the backdrop of relentless deterioration.

The old 1960s-style fish tank (the original home of the dolphins) no longer allows clear viewing of the fabulous collection of massive cob, musselcracker, leervis and rays. The two ragged-tooth sharks are hazy shadows as they ease past the small, very scratched porthole windows.

The floor around the tank is moist from the ongoing leaks at its base. Clever cladding around the outside of the tank hides the real deterioration of its walls.

The dolphins were the main attraction to Bayworld and, since their relocation on a breeding loan to Ocean Park in Hong Kong, the visitor attendance has dropped by 60%. If funds were limited prior to their departure, they are now non-existent.

In 1999, shortly after Bayworld had undertaken significant renovations and additions to the dolphin lake, a process was initiated to facilitate a redevelopment of the Museum, Oceanarium and Snake Park complex. In earlier years, such capital projects would have been funded through long-term, low interest loans, with the provincial administration meeting the cost of the interest while the institution paid off the capital amount over 20 to 25 years.

However, in 1999, a new financial management Act for government organisations was gazetted which precluded such loan arrangements.

At that time already, the modernising and upgrading of the Oceanarium was foremost in the minds of its management. In looking for new ways to fund this redevelopment, Bayworld’s board of trustees approached the National Treasury for support in exploring a public-private partnership (PPP), models for which were then in their infancy.

With the backing of the National Treasury PPP unit, a transaction adviser was appointed. The successful consortium was briefed to undertake a status quo assessment and options analysis for Bayworld, and to propose viable, affordable and value-for-money PPP models.

This work was completed in 2002, recommending a feasibility study be undertaken for opening the Oceanarium to a concession option. Bayworld would pass on to the concessionaire the responsibility to redesign, raise the finance and build or rehabilitate the infrastructure and operate the commercial aspects of the business (the Oceanarium, Snake Park, restaurant/coffee shop and souvenir outlet), with appropriate risk being transferred to the concessionaire.

In this scenario, Bayworld would continue to operate the museum functions of heritage conservation, research and education with the support of the provincial administration – and provide non-monetary support and integrity to the commercial aspect.

The process was stalled in 2003, when then-mayor Nceba Faku announced that the municipality (owner of the land on which Bayworld operates) planned to redesign, expand and source funding for the redevelopment as part of the 20/20 Vision project.

The city appointed project consultants and designs were drawn up and costed. In 2005, the municipality also commissioned a business plan setting out the service potential, operational scenarios and funding sources for the redevelopment project.

Everything, however, hinged on a formal agreement being reached between the city (as land owner) and the province as principal administrator of the Bayworld complex.

Other funding partners in the government, including the departments of Education and Environmental Affairs and Tourism, were also to be invited to contribute to the proposed funding plan. Agreement documents were drafted but finality and commitment to the process was never achieved.

Bayworld and determined municipal officials continued to promote the importance of the redevelopment of Bayworld to the authoritative powers in the city and the province. The business plan was updated in 2007 and a call for tenders was sent out for the first phase of the redevelopment.

This was recalled, however, as there was perceived non-compliance with the then new Municipal Finance Management Act. One of the unfortunate consequences was the closure of the lower section of the Snake Park to vacate the site for the first phase of construction, and more than half of the reptiles were rehoused at other facilities.

The Sport, Recreation Arts and Culture Department then stepped in and provided R5.4-million of a requested R20-million for interim revitalisation. Only R250000 could be used in the Oceanarium, as the implementing authority advised that the bulk of this funding should be spent on a project that could be identified as “a complete project” of the department.

As there was no single aspect of the Oceanarium that could fit this requirement without impacting on the other operations and animal welfare, the funds were directed towards the renovation of the former Tropical House.

Months of inactivity on the proposed redevelopment followed, where it would seem that the Bayworld redevelopment project – distant from its principals in Bhisho and not part of the city’s direct mandate – repeatedly fell off the agenda of these state organisations, as executive mayors, MECs, city managers, heads of departments and other responsible officials were replaced, some as many as three times.

The Bayworld management and board of trustees persisted regardless of these challenges, with individuals within the city and province pushing the case in various forums, but to no avail.

The city seems to have played a positive role, providing R3-million for securing a dolphin programme for the future. Unfortunately, this did not result in the dolphins staying in the city, but nonetheless has provided for their safe relocation and a valuable agreement with Ocean Park in Hong Kong.

The park will care for our beloved dolphins, Domino and Dumisa, while a new facility is built, and will breed with the two animals towards increasing the number and genetic diversity of a future dolphin family for Port Elizabeth. The breeding loan agreement goes so far as to provide a minimum of two animals to return to South Africa as soon as a new facility has been completed.

The Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Department has displayed a more cautious approach, fearing perhaps the province would lose control over its largest institution which has won it many accolades in the past.

As the city anticipates the World Cup, it seems Bayworld is beyond short-term rescue and may have to close the Oceanarium gates to save the city the embarrassment of this decaying space.

A budget for urgent and short-term remedial and cosmetic work was submitted to the city and the Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Department in November last year, but no confirmation of the availability of these funds has been received.

On the upside, work on converting the former Tropical House into a multi-purpose exhibitions and events centre will hopefully be completed before June this year.

Dinosaur display proving popular

BAYWORLD staff’s energies have gone into compensatory exhibitions such as the robotic dinosaurs of Africa’s Lost World that now fills the lower part of the Snake Park. The dinosaurs are a big attraction and the Bayworld team will be expanding this exhibition into the museum over the next few weeks.

An exhibition of local soccer achievements as well as profiles of Bafana Bafana players are in the pipeline for May – while another team is working on a new history of Port Elizabeth.

The museum’s collections and scholarly reputation is well established worldwide and its contribution to natural science and heritage conservation widely acknowledged. Bayworld’s profile in environmental education and cultural enrichment is also ranked among the top performers in the country.

Its Museum School accommodates more than 70000 pupils a year at the Bayworld campus and their outreach programme touches rural communities as far as Lusikisiki and Port St Johns.

Disillusioned Bayworld staff member