Stanley Yonamu working on the felled trees at the Hout Bay Common.
Image: Facebook
The diseased and dangerous trees that were felled at the Hout Bay Common will soon become beautifully carved benches, created by a local artist.
After the City of Cape Town cleared some trees and branches, the Scotts Estate-Baviaanskloof Community Improvement District (SEBCID) came up with the idea to request permission to have the felled trees turned into pieces of art.
The SEBCID was established about five years ago.
"The Hout Bay Common falls within SEBCID boundaries, and as such, is included in our daily cleaning and maintenance plan. These services include maintaining the play equipment and the bandstand, daily litter removal from Monday to Friday and repairs to the paved area when needed," said SEBCID chairperson, Jermimah Birch.
They also recently painted the Darling Street bridge and then went on to establish a small wetland behind the scout hall, and planted several locally indigenous trees along the river to help prevent the hall from flooding.
"When the City commenced work on felling diseased and dangerous trees on the HB Common, our board decided to request that felled branches be left on site for a local artist to create some public art," Ms Birch said.
They decided to have three benches and a sculpture carved into the tree that has been left standing, with one of the benches to remain on the Hout Bay Common and the other two donated to another public area in Hout Bay.
"One will go to the Butterfly Garden, the public open space at Princess bridge. The other will be placed beside the Kadot River, which runs through a section of greenbelt in the Northshore area," said Ms Birch, adding that these two areas were under rehabilitation by Friends of the Rivers of Hout Bay.
A fish emerges from a branch.
Image: Facebook
Ms Birch said the remaining branches were left on site so that the artist, Stanley Yonamu, could create artworks for the park visitors to enjoy.
Mr Yonamu is originally from Malawi, but has lived in Hangberg for the past 30 years and always loved art.
"I have always been an artist, but in 2016, an opportunity presented itself at the Bay Harbour Market, where I secured a spot to produce and sell my wooden sculptures and so I have been doing that till now," he said.
He said he chose this kind of art, which he calls "subtraction art" because it's "very challenging and requires very high concentration and precision".
"You take a piece of wood, chop off all that does not belong and work with it to produce a sculpture. When done, it feels like you have released something that was forever trapped in that wood and it's fun," he said.
Ms Birch highlighted that some of the art pieces created was up for sale and that Mr Yonomu had already created art pieces for the park.
"One of the pieces he sculpted, a snoek, has already been stolen. We kindly ask that residents do not remove any of the wood from the Common whilst work is in progress," she said.
The benches carved from the trees at the Hout Bay Common.
Image: Facebook
Ward councillor Roberto Quintas was delighted to see the community partnering in an effort to improve public open spaces around Hout Bay.
“The benches being carved are sponsored by the Scotts Estate-Baviaanskloof Community Improvement District. It really is wonderful to see the great contribution being made by SEBCID both in their footprint but also to other locations in Hout Bay," Mr Quintas said.
"It’s these types of cooperative governance systems, between the City and passionate community groups, that contribute to making Hout Bay a place we can be proud of.”