PRESIDENT of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) Alex Graham yesterday told an audience that included Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony and Guyana’s Olympic swimmer Niall Roberts, the Colgrain Pool will be a catalyst for his Association’s programmes. “Swimming in Guyana is either recreational, therapeutic or a sporting activity, but when it comes to competitive swimming, the challenge is there since we don’t have enough pools for same to take place and that’s why the Colgrain Pool will be a catalyst to the GASA.
Colgrain Pool can be considered the livewire of swimming in Guyana, with many young swimmers starting to practise the sport here and with the banner to get involved in swimming being very low financially in comparison to other sports, this pool will only serve to strengthen the GASA programmess.”
The remedial works of the Camp Street-based pool that was out of service for close to eight months due to a faulty pump and filter system was done at a cost of $6.6M, by Monham Electronics Company, who was sub-contracted by the Ministry of Sport, after the original contractor ran into problems.
“GASA has numerous programmes in the pipeline, including the ‘Learning to Swim’ programme that will ensure the local body has a fruitful era over the next few years and at the same time, help widen the pool between GASA and its partners such as the Ministry and other corporate entities,” said Graham.
In his brief remarks, Dr Anthony outlined the intensive workload the pool undertook prior to its closure and indicated same would not be tolerated anymore.
“A new administration will be in place at the Colgrain Pool, as we seek to eradicate the over-use of the pool that took place previously, where the pump was forced to work from as early as 05:00 h in the morning up to 22:00 h in the night at times.
“The MCYS will be working with  GASA to further enhance its “Learning to Swim’ programme, as we seek to further develop the sport of swimming in Guyana. But with very few public pools being made available, our need to keep the Colgrain Pool in immaculate working condition is still a priority,” stated Dr Anthony.
He added, “We overcame certain challenges, including the acquisition of a special filter that had to be custom-built and during the process of the pool being closed, several meetings were held with both GASA and its member clubs, as we are looking at chartering a way forward, with the implementation of several training programmes being put in place in the latter half of the year.”
Earlier, Director of Sport within the National Sports Commission (NSC) Neil Kumar said the Ministry of Sport have swimming at heart just as any other sport and shortly Dr Anthony would be opening the Olympic-size swimming pool at Liliendaal, while Lennox Hamilton of Monham Electronics outlined the numerous obstacles they overcame while undergoing the remedial works of the pool.
Following the cutting of the ceremonial ribbon by Junior Carifta Games swimmer Britney Van Lange, several swimmers including Van Lange and Athea Gaskin took to the pool to conduct an exhibition swim which included a 200m medley.