Residents upset over closure of crumbling Boksburg North pool

The reopening of the Boksburg North indoor swimming pool has been delayed for over six months now, and, judging from the information gathered, it appears swimmers may not be able to plunge into their local pool this season.

The only heated indoor Olympic-sized facility in Gauteng did not reopen this summer, as expected, due to delays in getting repairs done.
Long road ahead

The Eastern Gauteng Aquatics (EGA), told this publication that as things stand, regular patrons, including swim teams, and the general public, won’t be returning to the facility soon because the required repairs are being delayed as the city is waiting on funding to begin work to restore the facility.

The facility was initially scheduled to reopen on September 1. However, the major Boksburg facility failed to open for the summer holiday season due to long-standing defective heat pumps and pump motors. A leak from the wall, running on the floor and spilling into the pool water, impacts water quality, thus making it unsafe for users. I also became an eyesore, as it was surrounded by overgrown grass and shrubs.

The city has not yet responded to our request for an update on the process to reopen the facility. The metro previously said the delays to repair or replace the damaged equipment were a result of budget constraints.
However, with the new budget allocation for the new financial year, the city is making efforts to get the pumps fixed to restore the functionality of the pool.

Under fire
The city already took heat from local swim teams, the general public and the EGA for not repairing and opening this facility, as well as other pools across the city, during the festive season.

According to the EGA, without access to an Olympic-size facility, the local teams, schools and other professionals spend more money to use private facilities around to train and prepare for the big events.
EGA president Cheryl Knight lamented the impact of the closure of the facility, adding that not having access to a 50-metre pool is not ideal for professional swimmers, preparing for the big events.
Disappointed
Following much frustration and anger over the delay in reopening this pool and others in the city, residents hit out at the metro’s failure to maintain public pools and they demanded to know why they are deprived of the chance to spend time in swimming pools paid for by them as the ratepayers.

Here is what our readers had to say:

Lukas van Wyk: I remember as a child and young adult we would go there every Sunday and now under the ANC that once beautiful establishment has also gone to the dogs like everything else in this country. It’s a shame.
Chris Potgieter: Just one of many problems plaguing the city: potholes, grass-cutting, water, sewerage, and pools. Nothing is being done about anything, so the question we should be asking is where has all the money gone?
Jeannie Stander Meintjes: We stay in Witfield. My boys used to go train there, but since the pool is not open they cannot train at all. Very frustrating and sad.
Justin Coetzee: It’s a disgrace. We pay tax on everything. Where is our money going to? I grew up in Boksburg 29 years before the ANC took over and everything was well looked after.
Debbie Fourie Odendaal: Corruption! Nothing is maintained. We used to have galas there to promote swimming.
Shane van Graan: And we pay rates and taxes for this.
Elaine Paice: Very sad! The East Rand swimmers and schools struggle to find suitable gala facilities now.
Dee Alecia: Parkdene used to be so stunning. What a shame. Our kids stay indoors because they have no access to pools.
Christelle Enslin Radyn: I’m a qualified swimming instructor and it’s so sad to see it go to waste. I’ve been a swimmer all my life, and I remember being a little girl next to that pool. Today no swimming meets can be held at this only indoor heated pool in Gauteng. It’s putting future Olympian swimmers of this country to waste.
Ryan Leach: Wow, this brings back some great memories Samantha Moscato, Kerri Clifford, Shana Taljaard, Sam Taljaard du Preez Nicole von Berg and Clayton Cumming.
Cindy Williams: It’s a disgrace what is happening with all these public pools. The Parkdene pool, which is supposed to be used by the public, is being occupied by people of different kinds, who are having parties almost every weekend.
Kate Wood: So sad. We miss having galas at Boksburg North.
Marius Cronje: We stay in Witfield near East Rand Mall, and it is very frustrating, as most of the public swimming pools are closed. When is hot, people need to go to swimming pools as not everyone can afford to put one in at home.
Kyle Justin Railton: It is very disappointing that our local government can’t even get the pools in order so we can swim. Not many places to go swimming as most public pools are closed and gyms are expensive.
Click here to see more of our readers’ comments on this matter: