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Panama's Albrook pool to undergo $8 million rehabilitation
🇵🇦 Panama /Energy & Infrastructure

Panama's Albrook pool to undergo $8 million rehabilitation

From TVN Panamá · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • The Albrook swimming pool in Panama, which has been non-operational since early this year, is set for an $8 million rehabilitation project due to severe deterioration.
  • Pandeportes Director Miguel Ordóñez blamed previous administrations for the neglect, stating that conventional maintenance is insufficient.
  • The rehabilitation includes constructing a roof, installing seating for 325 people, and remodeling the children's pool, with an estimated 15-month execution period.
  • Pandeportes faces a challenge in long-term maintenance, as its current staff of 50 is insufficient for continuous upkeep of all national sports facilities.

The Albrook swimming pool in Panama, once a vital facility for athlete training, now stands in a state of severe disrepair. Standing water, corrosion, overgrown vegetation, and a worn diving platform characterize the neglected infrastructure, which has been out of service since the beginning of the year.

The conditions of the pool exceed what could be resolved with conventional maintenance work.

— Miguel Ordóñezexplaining the need for a major rehabilitation project

Miguel Ordóñez, director of the Panamanian Institute of Sports (Pandeportes), announced an $8 million rehabilitation project for the pool, citing that its current condition far exceeds what basic maintenance can address. Ordóñez attributed the extensive deterioration to previous administrations, stating they failed to implement necessary conservation measures over time.

The planned rehabilitation aims to transform the facility, including the construction of a new roof, the installation of seating for approximately 325 spectators, and a complete remodel of the children's pool. The project is expected to take about 15 months to complete once awarded.

Previous administrations allowed time to pass without carrying out the necessary interventions to conserve the sports infrastructure.

— Miguel Ordóñezblaming past administrations for the pool's deterioration

However, a significant challenge remains in ensuring the pool's long-term maintenance after the renovation. Ordóñez acknowledged that Pandeportes lacks sufficient personnel for the continuous upkeep of its facilities. The department's 50 staff members are primarily tasked with specific, short-term jobs. Ordóñez estimates they could manage the Albrook pool for only three to four months before a sustainable maintenance mechanism needs to be established, potentially involving the contractor through a contract addendum.

The maintenance department has around 50 people, who are mainly assigned to carry out specific tasks.

— Miguel Ordóñezdescribing the current limitations of Pandeportes' maintenance staff
About this summary

Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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