WITH nothing left to salvage at the Schauderville swimming pool, plans have been set in motion to relocate the vandalised facility.
Although the relocation is still in the planning phase, a new swimming pool at the Mooredyke Sports Facilities precinct in Schauderville, is on the cards.
However, this has not been confirmed due to land use matters that must still be approved, executive director of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (SRAC), Charmaine Williams, said.
This relocation comes after Ward 7 Councillor, John Best, realised the need for a swimming pool in the area.
The 61-year-old facility, which was once a beacon of hope for Schauderville, had been vandalised, stripped of its electrical fencing and used as a dumping site.
Williams said that the current location is very secluded and is not suitable in terms of safety.
“The previous pool was completely vandalised and became a target for gangster activities. Our staff and the security company’s staff have experienced several life threatening situations at the pool.
“After discussions with the ward councillor in October last year, we decided that this would be the best plan moving forward,” Williams said.
The swimming pool was one of many in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro which remained closed during the summer season amid lack of funds and maintenance. The lack of funding from the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s (NMBM) integrated development plan (IDP) has been blamed for the lack of maintenance of the swimming pool.
PE Express reported last year that the estimated budget for rehabilitation of the Schauderville pool last year was in the region of R15 million.
However, with the relocation in the pipeline, an estimated cost for a new facility will be in the region of R18-21 million, depending on the design and additional facilities for a recreational pool.
William said that although the cost is a big factor, the main consideration is about the safety and security of the facility and the community in relocating the pool.
The brainchild of the relocation, Councillor Best, said that this move is in the best interest of the community.
Best added, “I’ve had numerous meetings with Williams and residents regarding the relocation of the pool. I’m very excited about this, but there are still processes that need to be followed.”
A petition with almost 600 signatures was part of the driving force behind the pool’s relocation.
According to Best, the Schauderville community is infested with crime and gangsterism and the relocation of the swimming pool is the ideal solution to curb crime in the area.
He said, “If all goes well and there are enough funds available, we will explore the possibility of including other facilities as well, such as a cloakroom and an extra soccer field.”
Asked what will happen to the remaining structures of the vandalised Schauderville pool, Williams said that it would be demolished and the site rehabilitated as a public open space.
Williams added that the relocation of the new facility would commence once the budget request through the IDP processes is finalised.
“If all goes well, this will be planned for implementation in the three-year budget cycle, starting in the 2021/22 financial year,” she said.
