Durban - This week’s picture of old Durban comes from a postcard and takes in the paddling pools on North Beach and the many famed hotels that have made up its Golden Mile. Probably taken in the late ‘60s or early ’70s, it shows a beachfront many readers will remember while growing up in the city.
Gerald Buttigieg, in one of his many blogs on old Durban, notes that this particular revamp of Durban’s paddling pools was completed in about 1955.
The ponds were divided into three, the first being the babies’ pond, which was very shallow and mothers could sit on the edge; then the main paddling pond which was not deep and uniform depth. Then came the boat rides in their separate pond. The fountains in the paddling pond were made of blue and green marble chips.
In the early days there was a tiered descent down to the paddling ponds but this was flattened and
the embankment later pushed
back to Marine Parade, he notes.
The hotels shown from left are the Edward Hotel, the Hotel Majestic, the Marine Plaza Flats and High Wycombe Flats, that almost look like a single building. In the distance is the Parade Hotel, still standing, and Yarningdale and the Empress Hotel.
The old Majestic Hotel was demolished in the 1980s to make way for today’s Garden Court
Marine Parade. The hotel was designed by Meyer Pienaar and constructed by Grinaker-LTA opening in 1985. It stands 118.3m high
and has 28 storeys and 346 rooms. The modern block Yarningdale
was also completed in 1985 and stands 20storeys high. It was designed by Monty Sack Geoffery
Le Sueur & Partners.
Today’s picture taken by Shelley Kjonstad, taken during the morning exercise period, shows a very much built-up beachfront.