City invites businesses to pool their best ideas

WINDHOEK – A brand new public swimming pool costing N$7,5 million will be built in Olympia later this year, and Windhoekers won’t even have to pay a cent for it.

In an interview with The Namibian, the City of Windhoek’s Chief of Parks, Recreation and Cemeteries, Dries Pretorius, said that the 40-year-old Jan Jonker Swimming Pool would make way for the new construction, which would “be to the benefit of everyone”. “By the end of April the Jan Jonker Swimming Pool will close down, and we will hopefully already have started with our new edifice,” said Pretorius.All costs for the new swimming pool are covered by the developers of Maerua Mall, who are receiving the old swimming pool site in exchange.”That area will be used to expand the mall.Two levels of parking with over 300 new parking bays can be expected, and a number of new shops will also open up there”.As part of the new swimming pool project, the City is earmarking an extra 40 000 square metres of public property for recreational facilities.At 65 000 square metres, the size of the new pool compound will be almost six times as big as the Jan Jonker grounds.The pool is to be built near existing sports fields, close to the intersection of Sean McBride Street and Frankie Fredericks Drive.A new Olympic-size swimming pool with eight underground video cameras has been approved.”These cameras are a safety aspect,” Pretorius said, explaining that the cameras would detect any objects left in the pool.”The diving pool will not be rebuilt,” he added.”This decision was also based on safety grounds.Diving pools are incredibly dangerous and we have been faced with many problems in the past.But in its place, and to the same value, we will build a big recreational pool”.Palm trees, fencing and the filter pumps will all be moved to Olympia.New cloakrooms, kiosks and a much bigger parking area are also part of the design.”This will allow space for taxis and school buses, which was not the case at Jan Jonker,” said Pretorius.The enclosure around the pool will be used as entertainment venues, the City hopes.”We welcome any companies or entrepreneurs with proposals.If they are willing to pay for the construction and management of the amenity, they can sign a lease agreement of 20 or 30 years with the City of Windhoek,” the parks chief said.Pretorius urged people to come forward with written propositions for skate parks, BMX tracks or mini-soccer fields, cricket nets, shops or even restaurants.”This is not about the City of Windhoek wanting to make money.If a company helps us establish, for example, a volleyball field, they will be allowed to use the space for advertising”.Pretorius added that one objective the city planners had in mind with the pool was to keep children and teenagers off the streets.The same thinking had been behind the construction of more than 10 new playgrounds in Windhoek’s suburbs over the past three years.”Due to our past history, we have a lack of playgrounds.We are aiming to have a total of 50 playgrounds”.Anyone with ideas or proposals for the public space around the new pool is invited to email Pretorius on alp@windhoekcc.org.na at the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Recreation.”By the end of April the Jan Jonker Swimming Pool will close down, and we will hopefully already have started with our new edifice,” said Pretorius. All costs for the new swimming pool are covered by the developers of Maerua Mall, who are receiving the old swimming pool site in exchange. “That area will be used to expand the mall. Two levels of parking with over 300 new parking bays can be expected, and a number of new shops will also open up there”. As part of the new swimming pool project, the City is earmarking an extra 40 000 square metres of public property for recreational facilities. At 65 000 square metres, the size of the new pool compound will be almost six times as big as the Jan Jonker grounds. The pool is to be built near existing sports fields, close to the intersection of Sean McBride Street and Frankie Fredericks Drive. A new Olympic-size swimming pool with eight underground video cameras has been approved. “These cameras are a safety aspect,” Pretorius said, explaining that the cameras would detect any objects left in the pool. “The diving pool will not be rebuilt,” he added. “This decision was also based on safety grounds. Diving pools are incredibly dangerous and we have been faced with many problems in the past. But in its place, and to the same value, we will build a big recreational pool”. Palm trees, fencing and the filter pumps will all be moved to Olympia. New cloakrooms, kiosks and a much bigger parking area are also part of the design. “This will allow space for taxis and school buses, which was not the case at Jan Jonker,” said Pretorius. The enclosure around the pool will be used as entertainment venues, the City hopes. “We welcome any companies or entrepreneurs with proposals. If they are willing to pay for the construction and management of the amenity, they can sign a lease agreement of 20 or 30 years with the City of Windhoek,” the parks chief said. Pretorius urged people to come forward with written propositions for skate parks, BMX tracks or mini-soccer fields, cricket nets, shops or even restaurants. “This is not about the City of Windhoek wanting to make money. If a company helps us establish, for example, a volleyball field, they will be allowed to use the space for advertising”. Pretorius added that one objective the city planners had in mind with the pool was to keep children and teenagers off the streets. The same thinking had been behind the construction of more than 10 new playgrounds in Windhoek’s suburbs over the past three years. “Due to our past history, we have a lack of playgrounds. We are aiming to have a total of 50 playgrounds”. Anyone with ideas or proposals for the public space around the new pool is invited to email Pretorius on alp@windhoekcc.org.na at the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Recreation.