As part of our commitment to promoting RC Scale Model Boating as a recreational activity and sport for the whole family and thereby improving the quality of life and building healthy family relationships, we have embarked on a number of projects during the 2024-2025 period, focusing on the improvement of Sonstraal Dam as the only public RC boating venue in Cape Town.
This improvement project has been initiated in 2021 and although agreed on by the City of Cape Town in the middle of 2023, they have since back-tracked on their agreement and will no longer be addressing our concerns. The City however did concede to an application process to be followed in order to make use of club funding to improve Sonstraal Dam for the benefit of all users.
Project 1 – Safe Launching Area.
While social media bloggers have misconstrued the recent construction at the dam under the term “improvement and safety” and created their own interpretation of the supposed slipway to be constructed, this is very far from the truth. The so-called slipway has nothing to do with model boats, but only a break in the embankment to allow for future maintenance of the dam. Despite our call to use the time and resources to create the proposed landing plinth to improve access to the water for model boats, this was never included in the design, leaving Sonstraal Dam’s safety rating at an unacceptable level.
Subsequently we are determined to fund the project ourselves as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility program.
Estimated costs – R56 000
Project 2 – Sonstraal Dam Landscaping Upgrade
We have applied for and been granted interim Affiliation with the Model Boating Association of SA, who advocates for the protection of dams and ponds for the RC boating community. This will allow us to give input in all future actions by third parties and the City of Cape Town that will affect the suitability of Sonstraal Dam for RC Boating.
Estimated costs – Not determined yet.