Concern over closure of Van Riebeeck Park Swimming Pool

MBOMBELA – The local swimming community is concerned that the closure of Van Riebeeck Park Swimming Pool for renovations will severely hamper the preparations and performance of young talent. The pool will be closed indefinitely from Sunday.

It usually only closes at the end of the swimming season in April but, due to the planned refurbishment of the toilets, it will close much sooner. Mpumalanga Province Swim (MPS) has already set gala dates for this year, with two more events that now will have to be moved to Middelburg. According to the president of MPS, Mr Emile van Veenhuyzen, these renovations were suppose to take place last year and Middelburg’s pools do not meet the International Swimming Federation (Fina) standards.

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All Fina events held under its rules should be conducted in pools that comply with all of the minimum standards contained within these facilities rules stated in guidelines 2.1.1 of 50 or 25 metres. “When touch panels of automatic officiating equipment are used on the starting end, or additionally on the turning end, the pool must be of such length that ensures the required distance of 50/25 metres between the two panels.”

Van Riebeeck Park hosted the first of the Grand Prix Gala series this past weekend which lured Olympic medalist, Chad le Clos and star-quality swimmers such as Ayrton Sweeney, Myles Brown and Vanessa Mohr.

The MP Age Group 4 was suppose to take place at Van Riebeeck on February 5 and 6 and the annual Interhigh Schools on February 24.

“Interhigh is going to be a problem, because a 50-metre pool is preferable. All age-group galas will now have to be moved to Middelburg, which is going to be costly,” said Capt Ronel Bekker, who heads development at Mpumalanga Swimming. Van Veenhuyzen also said the only pool in the Lowveld that meets Fina rules, is at Curro Nelspruit.

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“The next four months is peak season for clubs and galas. Quite a few of the local swimmers will be competing in Durban in April during the Youth Nationals and will now have no place to train. This will most definitely have an impact on the swimmers’ preparations and performances. For the first time, MPS has 18 swimmers who qualified for nationals.”

The structure was build in 1972 and it would make sense to only renovate and to keep the pool open for swimming clubs and underwater hockey. “I have no idea how long the renovations will take, but I hope that it will be open for the start of the new season in September,” Bekker concluded.

At the time of going to print, Mbombela Local Municipality spokesman, Mr Joseph Ngala had not yet responded to Lowvelder’s enquiries. Swimming-pool caretaker, Mr Martin Barraclough, is on leave until Monday.