Local residents react to Balkumar Singh Pool’s indefinite closure
Berea Mail spoke with Sydenham residents who frequent Balkumar Singh Pool during the summer season to find out they felt about the pool being closed indefinitely.
Balkumar Singh Pool was severely affected by April's flood with mudslides completely damaging the pool's infrastructure. Photo: Nia Louw
BALKUMAR Singh Swimming Pool, also known as Asherville Pool, is one of Durban’s recreational pools that was severely damaged in April. eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, Msawakhe Mayisela, said that the facility has been closed since and will remain closed indefinitely
as the municipality awaits the finalisation of the insurance claim.
Berea Mail’s Nia Louw spoke with Sydenham residents who frequent Balkumar Singh Pool during the summer season to enquire about how they felt about the pool being closed indefinitely. These were their responses.
Kemsley Jones:
“I’m not happy about Asherville Pool being closed during the holidays. Summer is around the corner, the temperature is high and people want to get together to swim. But the problem is not being sorted out, and it’s been closed for quite a while.”
Glenore Richards:
“I think that the pool being closed is really hard on Sydenham residents considering it’s the closest pool we can get to. And it is getting hot as we go into summer. We mostly visit the pool during the holidays for family gatherings and to socialise and to keep cool. To know that it may not be opened by this festive season is very disappointing.”
Blessing Luthuli:
“Asherville Pool being closed for such a long time is very disappointing. It’s very close for residents – some of us don’t have transport money to be travelling to other pools. Our safety should be considered.”
Zuirich Fisher:
“I feel sad about the pool being closed over the holidays. I have a lot of memories there as a child, and it’s the closest pool for the Sydenham and Asherville residents. The closest pool is Westville Pool, which isn’t too close to us.”