No relief from the heat this swimming season
The swimming season looks to be a dismal one, as both the Selection Park pool and the Olympia Park pool are closed for business.
With both these pools being closed until further notice, the closest public pools for Springs residents are in Nigel or Brakpan.
Selection Park pool, the oldest in Springs at over 50 years old, has been out of service for eight years.
The pool was closed after a broken pump caused drainage problems.
According to DA ward councillor, Clr Shadow Shabangu, the metro had appointed a contractor who did not have the qualifications needed and was fixing the tiles of the pool instead of the pump.
“They saw that they needed to redesign it, so they appointed a designer who is now done with the design. The metro have said they will have the pool done by the 2015/16 swimming season,” says Shabangu.
Recently, the managers of Olympia Park pool put up a sign saying the pool would be closed due to technical issues and it is only estimated to be open again at the end of January 2014, which is almost the end of the swimming season.
“A request for a new pipe was sent to the metro in December last year and declined. Two more requests were sent in the out of season months of this year and those were declined as well,” says DA ward councillor, Clr Dean Stone.
Not only was the Olympia Park pool used for the public to cool off, but it hosted school swimming galas as well as private baptisms, which brought in some form of income from the pool.
Shabangu and Stone think the metro should have planned better for the summer months.
“The metro needs to jack up their planning,” says Shabangu.
“The Metro knew Selection Park pool was a problem, so when they were informed about the problem pipe at Olympia they should have got a replacement, but instead, now both pools are closed and the public have nowhere to go in Springs for the summer season,” says Stone.
Metro spokesman Samuel Modiba confirms Selection Park pool will be completed for the 2014/15 swimming season and that the metro is working on getting the Olympia Park pool sorted out.
“The process of repairing the inlet pipe commenced with the submission of documents for advertising to the Central Procurement Office on July 1 and after all due processes the work was a non-award on July 30.
“The work was re-advertised on August 14 and again it was a non-award on September 13 and, as a result, the work is being re-advertised for the third time.”
He says the department is doing all in its ability to get the pool back in circulation by the festive season.
