Albertskroon pool closed due to ‘mechanical fault’
ALBERTSKROON – According to a note taped to the fence, the Ochse Square pool is closed until further notice.
The Ochse Square municipal swimming pool on 10th Street in Albertskroon is closed until further notice.
The pool has been locked since late December but it is still manned by security. The on-duty lifeguard, however, is now stationed at another pool.
“The operations manager told me it had been closed due to mechanical issues,” Ward 86 councillor, Philip Kruger explained.
Maintenance of the pool has been a concern for a number of years. While many municipal pools opened on Spring Day, 1 September, last year, Ochse Square was scheduled for major repairs that delayed opening due to work still being carried out there.
A sign, taped to the pool’s fence, says it will remain closed until further notice.
“I think the problem is the weak budget planning for municipal pools. I have written to the City of Johannesburg’s MMC of Community Development to look into it,” Kruger said.
The councillor said that poor workmanship added to the already existing problem.
Better maintenance at the Ochse Square pool is once again on the ward’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP), a layout of the ward’s future over the short, medium and long term.
The different ward IDPs are taken into consideration by City. The greater five-year plan is drafted and reviewed in April every year. From this plan, the City’s spatial planning, disaster management, finances, performance targets and economic development is considered. The IDP also determines what the annual council budget will look like.
Public participation for the IDP will begin soon and Kruger encourages residents to take part and voice the concerns they have.
If you still want to take advantage of the warm weather, you can visit municipal pools close to Ochse Square swimming pool. They are in Linden, Roosevelt Park, Windsor East and Windsor West.
Residents irked by state of Albertskroon pool
