adminTHE Bulawayo Municipal Pool is undergoing repairs to rectify problems that emerged soon after the hosting of the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games last year and could be operational by end of next month.
The Matabeleland Swimming Board has been unable to host any competitions at the venue after it emerged the pool was leaking following renovations made last year leading to closure of the swimming venue. Zimbabwe Swimming Board president Lorna Riley said they were hopeful the pool would get back to full functionality by the end of next month.
She said they met representatives of the Bulawayo City Council and Public Works department officials, who were in charge of the infrastructure sub-committee of the Local Organising Committee of the Youth Games, on Wednesday and they had mapped a way forward to ensure the pool gets back to a working condition.
Riley said they had been inconvenienced by the unavailability of the pool as it was the premier swimming venue for competitions in Bulawayo but they had managed to use Hillside Teachers’ College during the interim period.
“We are positive the Matabeleland Swimming Championships would be held at the end of November because there is work in progress to rectify whatever faults are there. I am glad we are on the same page with other relevant authorities and we are all committed to seeing the pool working again hence we are putting our efforts together,” said Riley.
She said while the pool is operational at the moment, it is still leaking hence they would have to wait until all the repairs have been completed.
LOC chairperson Khonzani Ncube disclosed that the contractor was on site working, fixing problems that have emerged at the pool and water was now circulating although the main pool is still leaking.
Last week Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane raised concern over shoddy construction work done at several facilities that played host to the Games calling for an audit on the returns on the investment Government had made.
During the tour Hlongwane visited Hillside Teachers’ College, White City Stadium, Barbourfields Stadium and the Bulawayo Municipality Swimming Pool.
Other areas he felt need attention were the tartan track at White City, of which only 100m was laid properly while the remaining 300m need to be redone to meet International Athletics Association Federation standards (IAAF) as this will enable athletes to benefit fully from the track in terms of certifying their times. He also condemned the netball courts and media box at the stadium.
derick.khumalo