Three of the City of Cape Town's swimming pools will undergo major repairs and maintenance before the next summer season.
The Athlone, Bellville and Trafalgar swimming pools have already closed to allow for maintenance work to be completed in the months leading up to the start of the next summer season.
The scope of work for each swimming pool includes:
- Athlone swimming pool (upgrade value R2, 6 million):
- The full replacement of existing filtration pipes, new flooring and wall tiles as well as a new connection of the baby pool to the filtration system. This construction period is estimated to be four months, if all goes according to plan.
- Bellville swimming pool (upgrade value R6 million):
- The upgrade includes the reconfiguration of the main pool from a scum to a rim-flow operation, tiling of the pool walls and the replacement of filtration pipes. The construction period is estimated to be seven months, if all goes according to plan.
- Trafalgar swimming pool (upgrade value R3, 1 million):
- The upgrade includes repairing cracks in the walls inside the pool and replacing the floor basin which was exposed after removal of old tiles. It also includes resealing of expansion joints, tiling of walls and new paving in the area around the pool. There will also be work done on the existing scum channel and fixes will be made to the baby pool. The construction period is expected to be six months.
"Our public swimming pools are extremely popular and often the only respite for many residents from the very hot summers that Cape Town experiences. These facilities are also very popular among exercise enthusiasts and as training facilities for both novice and professional swimmers. The City is committed to providing quality amenities to our residents, which is why we are undertaking these upgrades," said Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Zahid Badroodien.
The Newlands Swimming Pool is also on the list of priorities and is currently under assessment. The final scope of work and estimated costs are still to be determined. It is expected that major upgrades will have to take place in order for the pool to be fully operational.
Kensington Swimming Pool was due to close on 28 February 2019 for R1,6 million worth of repairs. This included the replacement of all rusted inlet and outlet filtration pipes and valves around the main pool, lifting of the pool deck to excavate aging pipes and construction of a paved area.
However, due to procurement delays, the work will only commence next month and the facility remains open to members of the public until the end of March.
The City’s Recreation and Parks Department has engaged with swimming clubs that currently use the facilities, and efforts have been made to inform them timeously of the pool’s closing date.
The following swimming pools will remain open to the public until Monday, 22 April 2019:
- Atlantis, Langa, Khayelitsha, Mnandi, Bellville South, Bonteheuwel, Goodwood, Vulindlela, Emthonjeni, Hanover Park, Muizenberg and Eastridge
The pools will be open during the following times and daily during the school holidays:
- Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (13:00 to17:00)
- Saturdays and Sundays (10:00 to17:00)
The City’s four indoor pools in Blue Downs, Retreat, Strand and Long Street, as well as the Sea Point Swimming Pool will remain open to members of the public daily, as is the norm.
The abovementioned swimming pools will be open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends until the end of the Easter Weekend.
"We encourage communities to be patient while construction is ongoing as the result will be facilities they can be proud of and enjoy when the heat is on," said Badroodien.