A SWIMMING pool facility that was once a beacon of hope for the Schauderville community, is now in a state of disrepair.
A lack of funding from the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s integrated development plan (IDP) has been blamed for the renovation of the swimming pool not taking place.
The facility has been vandalised, stripped of its electrical fencing and been used as a dumping site.
Ward 7 councillor, John Best, said that no funding had been provided by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) for the new financial year.
“The NMBM has no plans for the swimming pool. We had countless meetings with officials to prioritise the upgrading of the pool, but nothing materialised,” Best said, adding that this year the swimming pool would be 60 years old and could still be saved.
According to Best, the Schauderville community is infested with crime and gangsterism and the upgrading of the swimming pool is the ideal solution to curb crime in the area.
Best added, “If the swimming pool is maintained on a regular basis, it would help keep the children off the streets in the area. Now, the children have nothing to keep them busy after school and would rather join a gang.
“I spoke to various residents who complained about the state of the swimming pool. We will continue to fight for the restoration of the Schauderville pool.”
Brian Godfrey, a resident in Schauderville, has fond memories of spending holidays and weekends at the swimming pool.
Godfrey said, “It saddens me when I look at the state of the swimming pool. Years ago, I spent hours with my friends and family at the facility. When we tell stories to the children about our glory days at the pool, they hardly believe us. Now, it’s more like a dumping site filled with rubble.”
According to municipal spokesperson, Mthubanzi Mniki, the estimated budget for rehabilitation for the Schauderville pool last year was in the region of R15 million.
Mniki said, “We (the municipality) are also considering the relocation of the pool, once an alternative site has been identified, as crime is a serious concern in the area. The public participation process needs to determine the suitability of this site for a pool in the future.”
