Waterfront’s Cape Wheel reopens with stunning new views of Cape Town March 13th, 2023

Waterfront’s Cape Wheel reopens with stunning new views of Cape Town

The V&A Waterfront’s Cape Wheel is reopening after a seven month break to relocate it to a new location set to give passengers memorable new views of the city and Granger Bay, from stunning sunrises to sunsets and night-time and more.

Easily one of the Waterfront’s most recognisable attractions, the Cape Wheel, which came into operation in 2008, has delighted international and local visitors, young and old alike, at its previous location between the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre and the Union Castle Square in front of the kid’s playground and food court.

Now located at the V&A’s Breakwater Boulevard overlooking the waters of Granger Bay, the wheel transforms Breakwater Boulevard into a new visitor attraction, with special elevated views across Granger Bay on one side, Robben Island in the distance, views of Table Mountain on the other end, as well as sights of Signal Hill and the Cape Town stadium.

Riders will, from 40m up, have below them the sight of commercial shipping traffic with giant container ships coming and going, large cruise and charter boats heading in and out of the harbour, kayakers accompanied by schools of dolphins as well as the possibility of spotting the occasional whales that visit the bay from time to time.

V&A Waterfront Chief Executive Officer, David Green said the time is right to restart the operation of the wheel, just ahead of the coming Easter holidays as part of the large package of exciting changes that have been part of the economic recovery of the Waterfront that were revealed ahead of the year-end festive season that the Waterfront.

According to Green: “We had to find the perfect location for the wheel and I’m excited that we will be reopening the experience once more. I think our visitors will especially enjoy repeat visits to experience the different views to be experienced at this new location.

“The recent signs of economic recovery for tourism and retail have been extremely positive and at the V&A Waterfront, we are looking forward to the return of the iconic Waterfront Wheel as part of our attractions which offer jobs and support livelihoods of so many Capetonians.” 

The new site, close to the Waterfront’s boardwalk, has easy access to the Breakwater parking garage, while also providing a more open and relaxed public space for visitors to access the wheel.

About the Cape Wheel

• Opened to the public in 2008, the Cape Wheel stands at 40 metres and offers visitors an unforgettable 15-minutes, four revolutions riding experience.
• Features 30 high-tech fully enclosed air-conditioned cabins with sweeping views of Granger Bay and the city behind it. Two of the cabins are wheelchair friendly.
• In addition to the 15-minute ride, the wheel offers a variety of unforgettable experiences, including a VIP experience for 4 passengers, a sky dining picnic, a free ride on your birthday special, a senior’s discount on Tuesdays and discounted ticket prices for pre-booked school outings.
• Children of all ages are allowed and must be accompanied by an adult.
• Ticket sales open from 15 March. Information will be available on www.capewheel.co.za

History of the Cape Wheel

• The Wheel of Excellence, which was renamed to the Cape Wheel, was designed by Ronald Bussink, and was constructed in Germany in 2007.
• The Wheel, which stands 40 metres high and takes nearly a week to assemble, has travelled around the world, visiting Belgium twice, Germany twice and Sweden from 2009-2010.
• It first visited Cape Town in 2010 where it was initially meant to remain for only a six-month period during the FIFA World Cup. But since then, it has found a permanent home at the V&A Waterfront, the oldest working harbour in Cape Town.

Waterfront Developments & constructions update

The V&A Waterfront is continually exploring ways to refresh and reenergise buildings and spaces in order to keep the visitor offering unique.

V&A management have taken the opportunity to upgrade key infrastructure, including changing certain road systems and upgrading drop-and go and e-hailing facilities to improve the overall visitor experience.

The key developments are:

• Construction on the multi-tenanted office building in the Canal District anchored by Investec Bank and scheduled for completion in early 2023;
• A new Astron Energy fuel service station has replaced the Caltex station on Dock Road.
• A refresh of the Alfred Mall below the V&A Hotel, including a new welcome plaza to signpost Cape Town;
• The reimagining and redevelopment of the Union Castle Building;
• The international Time Out Market scheduled to open in Cape Town in 2023.

Article Courtesy of www.corporateimage.co.za