Once one of the most sought-after getaway locations along Nelson Mandela Bay’s scenic coast, the Beachview Resort, is now a symbol of neglect.
The Herald reported this week that the city was seeking private investors to rebuild the multimillion-rand asset after 15 years of mismanagement.
The resort, which is owned by the municipality, is located on a 17.2ha boundary between Seaview and Maitlands.
However, it was leased to a private company between 2004 and 2015.
The city took over management of the resort in 2015, after a drowning.
This was followed by an in-loco inspection by officials who found the facility was not being properly looked after, with no safety measures in place.
An instruction for its closure was then issued by the city manager.
A decade later, the once-renowned seaside attraction is an unsightly ruin, stripped and looted over the years of all its valuable assets.
A report by sport, recreation, arts and culture acting executive director Charmaine Williams said the resort was in a serious state of disrepair and that a public-private partnership management plan would be the most suitable option for its management.
The report was approved by the sport, recreation, arts and culture committee on Thursday, but needs the council’s final approval before the demolition can go ahead.
When a team from The Herald visited the resort this week, they found a facility in ruins: the shells of what used to be chalets, damaged bathroom, braai and recreational facilities and overgrown camping sites.
Despite this, several motorists were spotted driving onto the premises on Tuesday.
That people still frequent Beachview — and several comments on the report on Facebook earlier this week — is testament to its popularity.
Many spoke nostalgically about Beachview.
Others suggested how the resort could be rescued, including plans to lease units on 15-year terms to private owners who paid a monthly fee to the municipality, turning it into a facility for the elderly and even a school for children with behavioural disorders.
Whatever the final decision, we hope to see Beachview restored to its former glory.
We hope this is not the end of the road for Beachview, but rather the start of its rebirth.
The Herald
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