The swimming pool was officially reopened today, following upgrades to the tune of R3,1 million.
The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department has opened yet another of its 35 swimming pools to the public.
The Trafalgar swimming pool has been closed for three years. Upgrades to the value of R3,1 million commenced in 2019. The work included:
Switching the main pool from a scum channel flow to a rim flow
Removal and replacement of all the circulation pipes
Upgrading of the filtration plant
Trafalgar swimming pool can accommodate 750 patrons and will be open daily between 10:00 and 17:00 until the end of the Easter weekend. Three lifeguards will be posted at the facility during operating hours.
‘The City is committed to providing quality facilities for our residents and visitors, and the work done at the Trafalgar swimming pool bears testament to that commitment. We have yet to hit the peak of summer, so there is still plenty of good weather on the way for visitors to enjoy the new-look facility,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
The opening of Trafalgar swimming pool brings the number of facilities open to the public to 30.
Bellville, Elsies River, Newlands, Parow Valley and Ravensmead swimming pools will not be operational this season due to extensive renovations.
‘We had large numbers of visitors to our swimming pools over the festive season and while anti-social behaviour remains a challenge in some areas, we are pleased that not a single fatal drowning incident was reported at our pools. We commend the public for their role in making this happen, but also our lifeguards and facility officers. They work under very trying circumstance, and we encourage them to remain focused for the rest of the summer season,’ added Councillor Badroodien.
From a water safety perspective, there were 13 incidents recorded at the City’s swimming pools over the festive season, including:
2 non-fatal drownings
3 help-outs/rescues
8 first aid cases
Sixty percent of the incidents happened at Strand swimming pool, with a number of cases on busy days such as 1 January and 4 January 2020, while 69% of cases involved children under the age of 18.
Source: City Of Cape Town