After a lengthy ten-month closure for renovations, the Strand Indoor Swimming Pool has finally reopened, but residents have been left feeling swindled by the lacklustre results.
Local resident Denise Letts expressed her outrage at the shoddy workmanship and the continued problems plaguing the facility.
“I actually had time to take in everything at the Strand Indoor Swimming Pool. I am completely at a loss for words. The pool has been closed since March last year and yet the only visible work seems to be some tiling and painting. The heating system is still not functional, as we know, but now, to make matters worse, I have just discovered that the plumbing issues in the showers remain unresolved,” she said.
Letts explained that the men’s showers still have scalding hot water, while the women’s showers, which used to occasionally have lukewarm water, now only provide cold water. To add insult to injury, the taps have been replaced with ones labelled “cold”, so there is no more hot water provided for a shower after a cold swim.
“The new shower fittings are made of cheap plastic. Even one of the existing shower cubicle doors has not been properly repaired – the latch is still broken. The ceiling, where a light was removed, hasn’t been repainted either. What on earth have they been doing for the past ten months?” asked Letts.
“Why has this project dragged on for so long, yet so little has been achieved? Most concerning of all, the plumbing in the showers is now worse than before. I am just very disappointed,” she said.
In response to the concerns raised, the City of Cape Town did not directly address the various complaints, but stated that the upgrade and maintenance at the Strand Indoor Swimming Pool experienced some setbacks with wall tile work and problematic sections of the pool basin, which the vendor is currently finalising.
“While mechanical and civil works were completed by the end of December 2024, necessary electrical work will be undertaken now that the builders’ holiday is over. Additional upgrades, such as heating units and air ventilation, will continue through early 2025 without affecting operations, except for a brief closure in May for system testing,” it stated.
“We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to ensure these swimming pool facilities meet all operational and safety standards.”
