Suburban
Ivan Zhakata Suburban Reporter
THE Greendale community has managed to revive the Greendale Swimming Pool which has since been reopened to the public just as the summer season, during which people need to cool off due to high day temperatures, sets in.
In a great community effort, residents of Greendale formed a committee to work with different partners including the City of Harare to revive the council-owned swimming pool. The committee undertook a fundraising campaign to source funding for the repair of the swimming pool.
Residents and some corporates donated towards the noble cause and at the weekend the swimming pool hosted its first swimmers in a long time as the facility was neglected by the municipality over the years.
In a public notice, the committee announced that the Greendale Swimming Bath was now open to the public. The swimming pool opens from 1000hours to 1630hours during weekdays and from 1000hours to 1800 hours during weekends. Adults are required to pay US$2 while children pay US$1 to enter the facility. Those intending to use the facility must bring their Covid-19 vaccination cards.
The committee thanked the Greendale community for their donations and any form of participation they undertook towards the revival of the swimming pool.
“Thank you, tinotenda, siyabonga to every Greendale community member who has donated or participated in any manner or form towards the Greendale Swimming Pool,” the committee said.
It said to date they had raised US$1 600 against their immediate need of US$9 000 and part of the US$1 600 was used to undertake repairs, which necessitated the weekend re-opening of Greendale Swimming Pool.
“We have used part of the money to buy a mobile vacuum pump. We still need to buy new filtration system to cope with the size of the pool. The supplier of the pool filtration system is Infinity Pools.”
The committee paid tribute to the City of Harare workers who did a remarkable job to ensure the swimming pool was ready for re-opening.
“Mr Mpofu (City of Harare) and his team have worked wonders over the past three weeks to get the pool to what it is. The pool is now officially opened and a full timetable from council will follow in due course. We encourage all residents to use the pool.”
The committee said the fundraising effort will be ongoing to raise money to fund the remaining works at the swimming pool.
“Our collective community interests are one and cannot to separated, let us stand as one as Greendale Community in all community endeavours!” the committee said urging residents with inquiries to contact the chairperson of the committee Lona Bartosz via WhatsApp on 0773465699.
Residents commended the community effort and paid tribute to the committee for their efforts.
“That’s excellent. Well done to all concerned — all ready for summer,” said a resident while another one thanked all involved saying: “That’s wonderful.”
Mr Dalubuhle Sibanda in charge of fundraising and communication encouraged the residents to use the swimming pool wisely pending the timetable.
“The pool is now officially opened and a full timetable from council will follow in due course. We encourage all residents to use the pool,” he said.
“Thank you to Greendale, Highlands, Chisipite, Eastlea and wider community members who has donated or participated in any manner or form towards the Greendale Swimming Pool. We still need to buy new filtration system to cope with the size of the pool. Fundraising effort will be ongoing,” he said.
Greendale Community Swimming Pool Interim Committee chairperson Mrs Lona Bartosz said there were people who have offered to renovate the toilets for free.
“We have had some very generous donations towards some of the toilets. I will be seeing the people offering their services Monday morning,” she said.
Greendale residents began mobilising each other to contribute towards the resuscitation of the swimming pool, which had not been working for more than two years due to lack of maintenance by council.
The residents formed the swimming pool committee in June this year to oversee the refurbishment and overall management of the community’s council owned Greendale Swimming Pool as they began to work towards resuscitating the pool.
The committee works closely with the council’s district office to make sure that the swimming pool is well maintained.
Its members are Mrs Lona Bartosz who is the chairperson, Mr Dalubuhle Sibanda, Mr Derrick Mackenzie, Ms Shania Bartosz, Mr Godwin Kanongovere, Ms Christina Chima and Ms Sue Bell.
