The future of the Albertskroon swimming pool remains uncertain, as a faulty pool pump and limited maintenance resources continue to stand in the way of reopening the facility.

Ward 86 councillor Chantelle Shawe said she has been pushing for the pool to be restored for years, with the facility’s operations manager also making efforts to get the necessary work done. According to Shawe, the sports and recreation department, which manages the facility, does not have adequate resources within its repairs and maintenance function to address the problem. “The sports and recreation department, which manages this facility, has not been equipped with a proper repairs and maintenance department to actually now come and fix the pool pump.”

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The pool’s condition has become a concern for residents who remember using the facility and want it returned to the community. Shawe said the operations manager had been working to get the pool restored and remained hopeful that repairs could be completed before September 1. However, she questioned whether that deadline was realistic, given the broader challenges facing Johannesburg.

For Shawe, the issue is also about what residents receive in return for the rates and taxes they pay. She said she would also push for funding to be ring-fenced so that, where possible, money collected from residents through rates is spent on services and facilities in their areas. The swimming pool forms part of a wider public recreational space at Albertskroon, with residents raising concerns about the condition and safety of the surrounding park.

Ward 86 candidate Gregory Hart said the goal of the ongoing community work was to make the area usable again and encourage residents to take greater ownership of their public spaces. He said one option being considered was to explore whether the park could be adopted, with measures, such as fencing, regular access hours, and partnerships with security companies, potentially helping to improve its management.

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Hart said the intention was to create a space where families could once again feel comfortable bringing their children. He also pointed to the memories attached to the swimming pool, saying a young person who accompanied him during a previous clean-up remembered swimming there as a child.

For residents, restoring the pool would mean more than repairing an ageing facility; it would return a recreational amenity, which has previously been used by the local community. The immediate challenge, however, remains getting the necessary repairs completed so that the pool can once again be used.

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