Pet Dam plans finalized

The long awaited plans for the revamping of the municipal swimming and Pet Dam in Ermelo have been announced by the local municipality.

A spokesman for the local department of Parks and Recreation who at this stage preferred to remain anonymous said an official announcement was due to be made later on Friday 1 April but was however willing to divulge that an “exciting development” was under way.

When pressed for more information he said that one of the plans involved the building of a Water Park which will include a water-slide and a huge outdoor ice-skating rink.

The project will cost an estimated R89 million.

“This will be phase one of the project and it is sure to find favour with residents of Ermelo and even the surrounding towns as the nearest ice-skating rinks are situated in the cities,” said the spokesman.

A massive cooling plant is to be installed in the building that currently houses the derelict municipal swimming pool. The swimming pool will be deepened to accommodate the huge refrigeration plant.

A gigantic aluminium element will then be mounted on concrete pillars under the surface of the water and will be able to freeze the surface of the Pet Dam to a thickness of at least a half meter.

“This will create a huge outdoor ice-skating rink like they have in the Scandinavian countries. It will be in operation for at least eight months of the year in accordance with Ermelo’s climate. The summer months will be reserved for the anglers who still like to catch fish at the dam,” the spokesman added.

The plans have already been finalized and will be made available for public comment. It is hoped that the project will be completed in time for the onset of the winter in June 2017.

“The entire area will be fenced off and unfortunately there will have to be an entrance fee. This will go towards maintaining the complex. Everyone is crying over the condition of the Pet Dam and now we have the solution that will please everyone,” the spokesman said.