Roggebaai Pier Retro Board

Roggebaai Pier was part of Cape Town’s historic foreshore area and played a significant role in the city’s early 20th-century waterfront life. Here’s a brief history:
 
Location & Name: Roggebaai (meaning “Rye Bay” in Dutch) was situated near the end of Adderley Street, along what was then the natural shoreline of Table Bay. Today, this area is far inland due to extensive land reclamation.
Construction & Purpose: The pier was built between 1910 and 1913 as a promenade and leisure destination. It featured a long walkway extending into the bay, offering panoramic views of Cape Town and Table Mountain. A pavilion on the pier hosted social events, including live music and performances, making it a popular gathering spot for locals.
Decline & Demolition: By the late 1930s, the structure had deteriorated due to harsh coastal conditions and became costly to maintain. In 1939, Roggebaai Pier was demolished during the massive Foreshore Reclamation Project, which created land for Duncan Dock and later developments like the Cape Town International Convention Centre. This project permanently altered Cape Town’s coastline, pushing the sea far from its original position near Adderley Street. 
Legacy: Today, Roggebaai survives only in historical photographs and archives. The name lives on in the Roggebaai Canal and precinct near the CTICC, but the original pier is a forgotten landmark of Cape Town’s maritime and social history