You can now take a dip in the pool

THE newly revamped tidal pool at Margate beach was officially opened by Hibiscus Coast Municipality mayor Cynthia Mqwebu on Tuesday this week. The pool was originally constructed in 1955, and was a main feature on the Margate southern promenade, but through the years it deteriorated and became an eyesore. Mayor Mqwebu said that the pool had experienced a major metamorphosis as a result of extensive renovations.

“The Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs gave its approval for the Hibiscus Coast Municipality to proceed with repairs in May 2011. Consulting Engineers Royal HaskoningDHV was appointed to plan and supervise the pool’s rehabilitation and the contract to rebuild was awarded to RA Davison Contractors of Umtentweni to the value R1 369 878,” said the mayor.

Roger Davison of RA Davison Contractors said that the scope of work that the pool underwent involved chipping off old concrete, removal of the entire broken concrete floor, exposing all hidden crevices underneath the sea walls and filling them with available rock and a special cement mix. “The new floor required 118 cubic metres of specifically formulated retaining concrete to achieve the same strength of reinforced concrete without corrosion. The team which was responsible for providing the concrete worked from 4am daily to pour the new floor slab before the incoming tides,” said Mr Davison.

The practical completion certificate was signed June 17 with the final construction cost of R 1 281 011.