The public swimming pool facility in Newlands, Cape Town, was forced into an abrupt closure shortly after hopes were raised by its recent reopening.
Why is the swimming pool still closed?
Rising temperatures this time of the year have made the unplanned closure of the Newlands swimming pool a great inconvenience for southern suburbs residents.
While, for the most part, Cape Town is blessed with beaches and public access swimming facilities, loyalists of the Newlands branch will feel hard-done-by by the gutting news delivered by City of Cape Town Community and Health Mayco member Patricia van der Ross this week.
In a statement quoted by News24, Van Der Ross revealed that shortly after the swimming pool recently reopened for the first time in five years, the facility was forced to close its doors due to a chlorine gas leak in the plant room.
“Work is underway to address the issue… The City apologises for any inconvenience caused but assures the public that everything possible is being done to open the facility doors as soon as possible,” Van Der Ross said.
When will the Newlands swimming pool reopen?
The Newlands swimming pool closed its doors to the public in 2017 to undergo a major R22 million revamp project. At the time, Van Der Ross explained critical repairs needed to be done on the facility’s filtration pipes, pool decks, electrical reticulation system and, among other things, the plant room that recently experienced the chlorine gas leak.
“After that, certain operational and Occupational Health and Safety matters need to be implemented to ensure the facility is compliant and safe before opening to the public,” Van Der Ross explained at the time.
The community and health mayco member reassured southern suburb residents that the process to reopen the Newlands swimming pool will be expedited to see things return to normal as soon as the start of the festive season.
“…it is projected that the pool may open [hopefully] on 1 December, subject to quality assessments,” she said.