Blairgowrie Swimming Pool opens early on September 5 after community fix
Residents can beat the heat ahead of the official season as local partnership work brings a popular municipal amenity back to life.
In a major win for the Blairgowrie community and surrounding areas, the City of Johannesburg has announced the official opening of the Blairgowrie swimming pool will take place on September 5.
Despite the city rescheduling the swimming season to October 1, the Blairgowrie pool will open to the public earlier. Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development Thapelo Amad explained that the city pools will open on a phased basis, as they are confirmed ready and safe for public use.
Read more: Blairgowrie Community Association revitalises community pool ahead of spring reopening
“I am therefore pleased to announce that the Blairgowrie swimming pool is ready to open and will welcome the community on September 5.”
The pool was fixed and maintained by the Blairgowrie Community Association (BCA), which confirmed it was ready for opening on September 1.
“Blairgowrie (Ward 102) has shown that when communities take ownership of their public spaces and government works alongside them, we can deliver facilities that are well maintained, sustainable and meaningful to the people they serve,” said Amad.
“The city is deeply grateful for this partnership, and we commend the Blairgowrie community for setting such a positive example.”
Also read: Blairgowrie pool gets touch-ups ahead of September reopening
Ward 102 councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete said this is a major win for a community which worked tirelessly to ensure the pool is ready to open. Disappointed by the delay and the way the city handled the issue, she said there is a need for better planning.
“We need involvement in the departments we are meant to manage,” Campbell-Cloete said. “The city has to do better. I am outraged that the city does not know what is happening with the facilities.
They have known that they would not open, but waited until the day before the opening to inform the public, and then had a blanket approach instead of ensuring the pools that were ready to open could open.”
BCA co-chairperson Harold Fleishman confirmed that the pool is opening on September 5 and encouraged the community to come out in numbers.
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