Suburban
COUNCIL owned Greendale Swimming Pool still needs more equipment for its completion to meet the required standards, chairperson of the interim committee coordinating the repairs at the pool Mrs Lona Bartosz has said.
Ivan Zhakata
Mrs Bartosz said they need to complete the swimming pool’s filtration system, fencing, install solar power 3KVA, plumbing, labour charges and hope to get a donation of toilet cisterns.
She said they also needed signage for directions, replacing of missing and broken tiles in the swimming pool, cement benches and tables and a notice board on entrance for events and community news.
Mrs Bartosz also gave an overview of how the swimming pool has been functioning and how it has been useful to the Greendale community and its surroundings.
“An over view of the past year has seen the pool active for the full 9-month season of being open. Infinity Pools put in a mobile pump costing US$1 150 (which) was in use for the whole season.
Another pump that was donated was used for the vacuuming of the pool.
“Friends of Greendale community, schools and one section of Highlands swimming club utilised the pool. Many success stories of children and adults learning to swim, swimmers representing Harare at the nationals and regional events (winning) an array of medals for their hard work,” she said.
Mrs Bartosz said from the beginning of the committee’s formation a list of priorities was set out to get the pool functioning and to build it to an active safe environment for sports and recreational use.
She said first was the filtration which required upgrading, security, fencing the area and upgrading lighting, plumbing repairs and refurbishing of changing rooms.
“The beginning of 2022 saw another priority being that of solar to keep the pumps running during the long outages,” Mrs Bartosz said.
“This community is amazing. Donations have come in from many, both cash and kind. Cash raised to date US$1282, Committee used US$1150 for mobile pump and filter. Current balance on hand USD $132 and an additional US$300 raised on GoFundMe
“It is important to note that the swimming pool does not have direct access to the fees it collects. Revenue is collected on behalf of City of Harare and is managed by (council’s) treasury. Harare Pools is just one section in the many departments of Greater Harare.”
Mrs Bartosz said the most pressing need of the swimming pool was completion of the filtration system purchasing, installing the new pumps and removing the old pump and filter from 1956.
She urged the Greendale community and its friends to pull together and make the facility an example of working together.
